The Final Dance
by voicelord
Summary: Dark whispers and endless rumours have always surrounded the prestigious Kuchiki clan. But the Ice Dragon refuses to accept the newest development concerning a certain Kuchiki Rukia - despite witnessing the event with his very own eyes. Hitsu x Rukia
1. Initiation

**Chapter 1: Initiation**

"…Rukia…y-you…!" His eyes widened in disbelief. But they dimmed drastically as he coughed out substantive amount of blood.

Whatever he was trying to say remained unspoken as his entire body shook uncontrollably.

Blood exploded from every possible part of his body as he flew backwards from the sheer force of the attack.

The crystallised formation of the ice spears twinkled innocently despite their devastating destruction. His jet black hair fluttered violently as he spiraled down the bottomless pit; sakura petals fluttering helplessly in the background. _Death would most definitely be immediate_. Various trails of blood left intricate patterns. They screamed out desperately, as if trying to convey the life of its owner. And yet, violet orbs merely gazed at the almost breath-taking display with indifference.

It was as if the consequences were not worth the effort to ponder over. It was as if **he **was of insignificance.

From the very first strike they had both initiated to the final blow that had ended his life; her eyes simply watched and _watched _– never expressing, never explaining nor allowing them to even _feel_. They had processed, they had calculated, they had decided, and they had anticipated the next movement of her opponent. And even now, as they followed after the descending form of a powerful opponent, they remained passive. It had to have been at least a few minutes before she alternated her gaze and swiftly glided away from the edge of the cliff. Perhaps she was finally satisfied of his demise. Perhaps she no longer felt the need to watch the events unfold before her uncaring eyes. _Perhaps this was all a dream_…

"…Taichou?" It was Renji who spoke in disbelief, as if to break away from the mind-numbing spell inevitably cast by his best friend.

With a hesitant step towards where his captain had previously stood, he broke away from the crowd of fellow shinigami only to end up drawing closer towards _her_.

As if finally comprehending the fact that the heir of the prestigious Kuchiki clan and the captain of the 6th division had just been **murdered** right in front of his eyes; the crimson haired lieutenant roared out in uncontrollable fury. His scream tore through the sky and echoed mercilessly in pure grief and anger. But when his ferocious gaze accusingly bore into her violet ones, he was once again rendered immobile. As a defeated grunt escaped his tightly clenched jaw, the lieutenant of the now-deceased captain fell instantly to the ground. Both his knee caps met the ground in solidarity as his upper torso hunched in despair.

The gigantic weapon hung awkwardly to his side, completely useless for the first time in his life. This was, after all, **not** the enemy he had trained to fight against…

Calmly wiping the blood from her Zanpakuto – _Shirayuki_ – Rukia simply watched her childhood friend repetitively strike the ground in frustration and confusion. A pang of guilt echoed within her tiny frame but steeled resolutions allowed her to carry forth with all that of grace and nobility. The crimson smudges somehow enhancing her hypnotic visage.

And from a distance, narrowed green eyes of a certain ice-yielder stared at the young woman in awe.

All in all, she looked absolutely stunning standing alone on top of that cliff covered completely in her adoptive brother's blood. The remaining witnesses could do nothing else but stare at the surreal display of beauty. Despite the enormity of her action, despite the hidden reasoning behind the initiation of such a crime; the squadron captains and their respectable lieutenants remained frozen to the ground under her piercing gaze. It was as if she had woven a spell upon every single individual rendering them speechless and incapable of processing a single coherent thought.

Each step her bare feet took had most stilling their breath for the ground seemed to _literally_ tremor in response. The sheer intensity, the _power _and the unexplainable aura radiating from her tiny figure…

…_Just what the __**fuck **__happened here? _The rustling of his outer robes was all that indicated his swift movement as he drew himself closer to the enchanting female.

Prepared to use force to get the answers he wanted, Hitsugaya Toshiro was about to release Hyorinmaru from the confines of his sash until Yamamoto-genryusai swiftly held his hand to halt the process.

Growling in utter frustration, the young captain could do nothing else but release his firm grip on the hilt of his personalized Zanpakuto. But true to his stubborn nature, his hand remained lingering on the edge of his weapon, ready to strike in a matter of seconds if the situation called for it. With a dissatisfied frown colouring his features once more, Hitsugaya and the rest of the shinigami squadron leaders could do nothing else but witness their leader proceed with what he did best – make things even more _fucking_ complicated with his _goddamn_ riddle-like phrases.

"Kuchiki Rukia." Yamamoto-genryusai spoke amidst the suffocating atmosphere. His gruff voice carried across the distance, halting the said girl in place. "Kuchiki Byakuya is now officially dead. Have you achieved all that you desire?"

"...No."

Her voice tore apart all that of meaningless hope. She was absolutely merciless.

"I see. And when will these _desires_ cease to exist?" The head-captain questioned once more, an unreadable expression passing through his aged features.

"_Never_. Not now, not ever…" she finalised and added with a whispered breath. "They will remain until the very end of my existence."

"I shall hold you upon that, young Kuchiki." With a curt nod, the equally inexpressive General left the isolated grounds that would remain forever cursed. As he turned towards the oncoming slaughter of the freezing wind, no one was able to detect the tight clenching of his wrinkled hands.

And even when the hesitant group dispersed and headed towards their respectable quarters, dear say, in shock and utter confusion; Hitsugaya remained, blatantly ignoring Matsumoto's futile attempts at dragging away her captain. Something, or rather, _someone_ had held him captive and being a person who absolutely **detested **unfinished businesses, Hitsugaya remained glued to the spot – never once breaking eye contact. He would see to it that _this_ – whatever this was – would come to an end. His murderous glare, however, did not seem to deter the ethereal other, for what she did next was something all too unexpected. _She freaking smiled, again. _But for some bizarre reason, all his anger dispersed and his gaze faltered ever so briefly, for there was something so _tragic_ about that look…

"What are you hiding, Kuchiki?" The youngest captain whispered. Her apologetic look lingered as she eyed him silently. It was as if she was trying to convey a hidden message through such a sorrowful looking smile.

But before he could do anything else, the petite Soul Reaper was gone.

All that remained were dusts of ice glittering in its after effect. His outstretched hand caught the remainder of the crystals as they sprinkled down towards the ground.

He remained until they all but dissolved into droplets of water. The stoic captain delicately traced them until all that was left was a cooling sensation.

Soon after, Hitsugaya sped towards the direction his comrades had taken in complete silence, relishing in the fact that he had, for the briefest moment, managed to encage the tears of a certain Kuchiki Rukia.

And this was the very first time that Hitsugaya Toshiro allowed himself to truly _see_ the mysterious Kuchiki Rukia for who she really was – an enigma.

His second encounter being that of her promotion ceremony which had proceeded in conjunction with the funeral of Kuchiki Byakuya and his wife, Kuchiki Hisana.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

_Something just wasn't right._ Hitsugaya frowned as he absent-mindedly flipped through a particularly long report.

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, a stack of reports that needed to be reviewed remained untouched on the side, and his god-knows-where lieutenant remained MIA (most probably getting herself drunk again).

Mentally ticking off his Friday afternoon list, he still failed to pin-point the cause of his uneasiness. After all, it was business as usual: hollows still needed to be exterminated, endless amounts of paper work continued to flood his office and a 'Kuchiki-taichou' still reigned over the 6th division; except _this_ particular Kuchiki-taichou was of a smaller-build and much more pleasing to the eyes.

"Kuchiki Rukia…" The ice-yielder experimentally rolled her name with his tongue, allowing a satisfied smirk to spread across his features.

After being officially pledged as the new captain during a ceremony that had taken place approximately six months ago, she had – without any hesitation – swiftly taken over the position as the head of the 6th division without much difficulty.

Many had expected some form of resistance but none were ever to be detected, at least not a formal one. There were, of course, endless trails of rumours – dark whispers and the unaccountable accusations. The most popular conspiracy theory to date was that the prestigious Kuchiki clan had tried to brainwash the violet-eyed shinigami in which the plan had backfired with the death of their male heir. Rolling his eyes at that particular thought, Hitsugaya tossed aside the bundled document with a sarcastic snort.

Despite all this, she seemed to have successfully incorporated into her new position by leading the division with all the experience and expertise a true captain would entail.

And yet, she was no longer the young vibrant girl who had swept both the Soul City and the Human World by storm but rather, a young enticing woman who carried herself with an air of calamity. She was still a tiny little thing but something had definitely changed. Most probably from that day – the day she had obtained her bankai and used it to kill off her adoptive brother. And hence forth, she remained true to her element in her mind, manner, and temperament – proving to be a calming presence. It was as if an unconscious sensuality was embodied to the very core of her being, radiating in a single look, touch or movement. She remained as captivating as the day she had stood alone on top of that cliff with her hair flowing around her and blood caked all over her petite body. The _pull_ that she always had intensified to the point of silencing a crowded hall simply by her presence. Many still feared her, that much was certain. But it now seemed to be of uncertainty rather than that of anger or disdain.

It was as if former comrades and acquaintances were trying – but failing miserably – to define the young woman who had previously brought laughter and compassion to all.

They were finally questioning what Hitsugaya had pondered ever since that fateful day six months ago on top of the abandoned cliff.

Something was definitely amiss and a bigger, grander plot was being executed. The only problem being that they were all completely ignorant of the script. All could not help but feel that there was something _more_ than it immediately appeared, brewing and bubbling in the surface.

And Hitsugaya Toshiro would discover what they exactly were.

She had irrelevantly captured his entire attention and he **always** got what he wanted, whatever he was up against. He was, after all, not a prodigy for nothing. And he had, for many months, greatly anticipated their third encounter which he presumed would commence during the weekly meetings for the captains. It was most apparent, however, that she took pain-staking measures to avoid direct interactions with anyone by somehow managing to arrive at the last possible minute but always being the first to leave. He had to hand it to the woman, she was one _sneaky_ creature. Either fate deemed him unfit to confront her just yet or the young Kuchiki had to have been staking out in her office the entire time, for they never did cross paths during those six months. But no matter, for she would soon learn that such detours were useless against his persistent nature.

And it was only with the beginning of spring that Hitsugaya – _literally_ – stumbled across the opening he had been waiting for.

It had all begun when he had allocated himself with an _urgent_ solo-mission right before the reports were to be collected from all departments.

He had felt particularly evil that day and had decided to take revenge upon his lazy lieutenant with her own medicine. Leaving behind a mountain of paper work that impressively brushed against the top of the ceiling, he had left with a swift wave of his hand. Hitsugaya even remembered to hum a sickeningly sweet tune during his grand exit. It was only after he completely left the grounds of Seireitei that he allowed a full-blown grin to decorate his face. Unecessarily sadistic he may have been but it had been worth it to see Matsumoto gape like a fish.

As he made his merry way towards the outskirts of Rukongai – the Town of Wandering Spirits – something made him wander towards the more dangerous grounds, the unmarked territories that even squadron leaders were advised to avoid at all costs. Despite his body screaming in protest, an intrinsic force had Hitsugaya making his way through the deserted area. In all truths, he had expected mutated hollows commuting in their thousands waiting to pounce on a foolish soul – like himself – to stumble into these grounds by accident. But when he was only greeted by gigantic plantations that seemed to be as ancient as that of time itself, he began exploring the unfamiliar setting in a leisurely pace.

He deserved to relax once in a while. And after several hours of endless wandering, Hitsugaya finally stationed himself at the very top of a majestic cherry blossom tree and scanned across the horizon in appreciation.

But it was a particular sector that had him gaping very much like Matsumoto had not a few hours ago.

A small, but comfortable looking cottage was hidden amongst the foreign plantations. The exterior was tastefully decorated; blending beautifully with the surrounding environment. But it was the occupants of the tiny home that had Hitsugaya holding his breath in astonishment, fearing that they were mere figments of his imagination. But when the picture perfect scenery still remained intact after several attempts at pinching himself, Hitsugaya decided to observe the reunion at a closer distance. Masking his reiatsu with expertise, the young captain swiftly glided from one tree to the next, flowing in synchronization with the gentle breeze.

Teal orbs widened significantly as he witnessed something that defied all that of logic: A very proud Kuchiki Byakuya watching over his pregnant wife Kuchiki Hisana as well as his pride, Kuchiki Rukia who was lovingly stroking the swollen stomach of her dear sister; visibly ecstatic as any aunt would be.

**He was alive**. In actual fact, _they_ were both alive – looking all too healthy and content.

Hitsugaya greedily took in the improbable sight, drinking in the almost mirage-like images.

But it was Rukia who had made the hairs at the back of his neck stand in captivation with her carefree smiles and child-like happiness shining from her loving eyes.

...It was all too clear that they had all been _duped_. Her ability to switch from one mask to another in such quick succession was surreal, to say the least.

But why bother faking their deaths? What would they gain from this foul play? And what would she have to gain by risking the hatred of everyone? _Whatever the reason,_ _how she must have suffered_…

It was then and there, that an unexplainable longing had entered into his system. He simply needed to know more about the female; he wanted to know all that had helped to create the woman she had now become, he needed to be informed of her fears, her dreams, and her passion. At that moment, an instinctual desire to possess the little butterfly had fanned his inner flames to the point of obsession.

And he had been hooked ever since. He had fallen that day – and he fell **hard**.

* * *

_Something just wasn't right_.

It was close to midnight when Rukia finally emerged from the warmth of the couple's cottage and began making her way back to Seireitei.

With a solemn look, she crept into the silence merging perfectly with the darkness.

Mysterious forces came out to play during these times, not necessarily dangerous but most definitely menacing in nature. Wanting to avoid any complications, violet orbs glanced for any distortions before sprinting off in great speed. Hopefully, she would be out of these woods in a matter of minutes. _But a nagging feeling continued to stir in her gut_. Her entire body tingling with expectation. _Something was utterly wrong here_.

_And it was the most intense shade of __**green**._

A surprised yelp escaped her throat as Rukia felt her body loosing momentum in mid-air when something solid tackled her from the side.

Slightly dazed by the collision she failed to react in time until she found both of her hands closely encaged, making it impossible to initiate any of her dances.

_This thing was quick…and strong! _Her brain quickly ticked away to come up with the best strategy of retaliation but failed miserably with the passing of every precious second. She knew all too well that the distance was too great for nii-sama to hear her cries and besides, she did not want any unnecessary danger to befall upon her precious loved ones. Grunting in frustration, Rukia struggled to the best of her abilities to be released from the iron grip. Both were, after all, descending most rapidly and she did not want to risk the rough landing with this _thing_ on top of her or even worse, get pinned to the ground.

"…Stay still!" The agile creature growled, its breath sending shivers down her spine. _These things can talk as well?_

Either from that of utter shock or surprise Rukia stilled for the briefest moment until she realised too late that they were indeed sliding across the rough terrain.

This was going to be _really_ painful! Rukia clenched her eyes shut as she waited for the inevitable rotation that would have her taking the full bluntness of the ground in all its glory.

A trail of dusts lingered in the air, forming the path both individuals had inevitably created. Coughing lightly, Rukia remained motionless with eyes still tightly closed until chuckles of amusement echoed in her eardrums. Dazed eyes flew open in surprise and she came into full contact with the colour of teal once more. But when the female shinigami allowed her eyes to travel downwards, the dim moonlight displayed sleek muscles. _It was a body of young male_. A lean, muscular frame of this young man had cushioned her fall. Finally realising **she **had been straddling the said male, Rukia feverishly pulled back her hands that had been spread across his chest. Blushing in embarrassment for displaying such a weakness, the violet-eyed woman was prepared to compensate these unforgivable failings by releasing a string of devastating blows to this paradox of an enemy.

But even before she had begun to work the muscles of her legs, her attacker/savior had pinned her to the ground with a single twist of his body.

Her Zanpakuto lay useless on the ground – just out of reach by a breath of a distance. Her arms were stretched out and held captive once again while strong legs pinned the rest of her body. Utterly baffled by the injustice of it all, Rukia was determined to resume her struggles once more until her eyes focused on the features of her captor in recognition. "H…Hitsugaya…taichou?" she exclaimed as she stared up in disbelief. What the heck was _he_ doing here?

"Geeze, you're heavier than you look, Kuchiki," the young man grunted in response, his voice a little husky due to the rough landing.

Frowning in dissatisfaction at the entire situation as well as the _inaccurate_ accusation regarding her weight, her eyes narrowed with indignation. The nerve of this man!

"Well, you wouldn't have suffered if you had refrained from tackling me in the first place!"

"True, but the tackle was an essential element in my plan."

"Oh? Pray tell me, what _is_ this plan of yours?" Rukia retorted while eyeing his smirk in agitation.

If only she could reach Shirayuki! She would have gladly wiped that smug look off his face with a thorough beating to his head. He wouldn't dare blink in her presence after she was done with him.

Fuming in anger, for the very first time in several months, she became obsessively preoccupied with conjuring up various methods of disposing this sorry excuse of a man. Unfortunately, Rukia failed to detect the further invasion of her personal space with Hitsugaya drawing his face closer to hers. It was only when she had lifted her glaring eyes to scold at him once more did she feel the proximity and felt herself go completely rigid when her nose gently brushed against his. When had he gotten so close?

"Well…" Hitsugaya drawled with leisure. "I have a number of plans. Which would you like to hear first?"

When his breath warmed her already scarlet cheeks, Rukia had to forcefully bite her lips from squeaking like a little girl. Was this idiotic man teasing her at a time like this? Completely baffled and uncertain in how she was to respond, the violet-eyed shinigami could do nothing else but gape at the young man. Rukia was pretty sure she looked like a gaping fish right about now.

Hitsugaya, on the other hand, found the comical expression all too endearing.

To witness first hand the slight crack in her façade had his usually stoic eyes soften immediately. It justified Hitsugaya's firm belief that the said woman in his arms was anything **but **cold-hearted and unfeeling.

Controlling the urge to make her blush even darker, he took pity on the little creature by sweeping the girl off the ground to a more comfortable position and began explaining all that had commenced during those six months. He was able to place forth all that he had discovered; all that he had questioned and pondered over, as well as all that he knew were to be untrue. He knew for a fact that the death of Byakuya had been staged, he also knew that his wife, Hisana, had also staged her death, he was also aware that Rukia had assisted in both events by adopting the role of a villain; reasons yet unknown.

With painful wounds being re-opened, raw emotions began to slowly resurface as the trembling intensified – her body shaking uncontrollably.

For the first time in several months, fresh tears leaked from violet orbs as she allowed herself the luxury of releasing all that had weighed down upon her since the very beginning of this play.

She sobbed, she cried, and screamed out her frustrations to the point that Hitsugaya was worried she had somehow permanently damaged her water works.

Gathering the delicate woman further into his embrace, mentally noting her appeasing scent of jasmine; he held and comforted her until daylight peaked in between the gigantic plantations – announcing the beginning of a whole new day.

In the end, a thoroughly exhausted Rukia did not object to being carried in the arms of the young captain – at least to the outskirts of Seireitei where in which the role-playing would commence once more.

But as she instinctively buried deeper towards the warmth he provided, the young woman's heart had felt as light as a feather; completely free of guilt for the first time in ages.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Renji was a complete wreck as he paced back and forth in agitation.

In all truth, the entire 6th division had been at an uproar when a visitor, none other than Hitsugaya-taichou, had demanded entrance into Kuchiki-taichou's office.

The request – no matter how very simple – was indeed an unusual one, considering the fact that _no one_ had ever entered into the newly appointed captain's chambers; **ever**.

And so, when the impatient ice-yielder yanked the traditional doors aside and entered into the forbidden depths of the Pandora's Box, complete silence of horror had be-stilled the entire flock of petrified shinigami. The very thought of a highly irritable Dragon Lord being in the same room with the mysterious Butterfly of Seireitei had all the 6th division squadron members frozen solid to the ground. After the fusuma firmly slid shut, Renji could do nothing else but break the witnesses out of their stupor and ensure they commence with their allocated duties. But the red-haired lieutenant was all too certain that amongst the mundane tasks of carrying out errands and training; many would be gossiping about this latest development.

_Now...what the __**fuck**__ was he going to do about tea?_

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the sheer stupidity of the entire squad, Hitsugaya snorted in mild amusement as he loosened the top of his robes and displayed lean muscles of his upper torso. As soon as he turned his back on her, Rukia diligently began cleaning the fresh cuts and bruises covering a substantive section of his back. In retrospect, the petite Soul Reaper should have just kicked him out when he had entered into her office without even being _announced_ nor _invited_ for that matter. But when he had hinted about certain 'wounds' he had received a few days ago while cushioning a certain 'someone' during a certain 'tumble', the young Kuchiki could do nothing else but grit her teeth while her reiatsu flared in utter annoyance.

His reiatsu responded just as quickly and the two opposing forces merged for the very first time.

But as soon as his icy flames reacted against her surprisingly warm ones, the pretty shinigami's features had twisted into an uncertain sort of expression that had her clumsily backing away in haste.

Gleefully noting her discomfort, the handsome captain intently observed her retrieve the necessary medical equipments.

The young male knew a full retreat when he saw one. And a primal smirk that could only be deemed as pure male satisfaction adorned Hitsugaya's features. However, not wanting to push her over the edge just yet, Hitsugaya remained silent as her cool hands smoothed out the tense muscles of his back. To an outsider, the couple would have indeed made a stunning picture with their striking features that clashed deliciously. But while Hitsugaya displayed all that of serenity, a torrential storm was evident upon his distressed companion.

As Rukia began absent-mindedly applying the herbal ointment on the captain's back, her visibly worried features intensifying as the implications finally seemed to strike home. In all truths, she had been an absolute wreck when they had both returned to Seireitei since that eventful day in the forbidden woods. She was at a complete loss over the recent events regarding Hitsugaya-taichou's awareness of the deception at hand. Their carefully constructed plan had all been in vain under this young man's critical gaze. He had already suspected foul play in relation to both deaths, he did not fall for her newfound icy character and to top it off, he had witnessed her cry like a helpless child for hours at end! She was only surprised he hadn't reported to Yamamoto-genryusai, notwithstanding the fact that the General already knew; the moment they had both returned to headquarters.

Instead, he leisurely waltzes into her office without a care in the world and demand she treat the inflicted wounds on his back. 'Confusion' didn't even begin to cover the whole scenario.

Rukia had not yet broken the news to her brother and was internally dreading such a task.

It had, after all, only been a couple days since her last visit - the very day she had been tackled by the unexplainable male before her - and she was quite happy to delay such a task for a couple of more days.

And yet, in many respects, the violet-eyed beauty wasn't surprised that Hitsugaya-taichou was the very first to have some grasp over the situation.

She had naturally heard of his brilliance from her nii-sama as well as from Renji. The youngest person ever to be presented with the honor of being chosen as a division captain, he was rumored to be just as sharp as his elemental attacks. She had, after all, witnessed first hand his perceptive mind the day she had _supposedly_ killed her own adoptive brother – Kuchiki Byakuya. Rukia had been extremely surprised when he had detected something amiss and had confronted her despite the fact the rest had left in disgust – even her best friend. _She had been a bundle of emotions that day_. But in the end, what she had felt was mostly that of appreciation.

She had been grateful that there was someone out there who found her incapable of carrying out such an act. It was…**comforting**.

Being a woman born to be surrounded by love and affection; it had been much too demanding on the petite shinigami to suddenly be isolated from any form of social interaction.

Sure, both her brother-in-law and her sister were still there for her but they were part of this entire façade. General Yamamoto was also aware of this but only because nii-sama made her promise to present daily reports to their head-captain just for the sake of it. Ichigo knew but the fact that he resided in the Human World only made him third party to the current predicament. He could only offer his sympathies. As selfish as it sounded, that was not what Rukia needed right now. She needed someone to understand, she needed someone to hold her and comfort her **not** simply because they had been informed of the facts of the case. She needed someone – anyone – to comfort her simply _because_…

Breaking away from her pointless self-pitying session her eyes widened in horror, remembering all too well that she was not alone.

Much to Rukia's relief Hitsugaya remained oblivious to her torrent of emotions and she quickly masked her melancholy while bringing out a roll of bandages. Pointedly ignoring his pleasing musky scent, Rukia seated herself directly opposite to his proud form for the next task at hand. Not having much experience in the medical areana, Rukia all but fumbled for a couple of seconds until finally confident the bandages were not being wrapped around him too tight or too loose.

After a few successful rotations, Rukia hesitantly lifted her violet eyes and was surprised the find the young captain _dozing_ _off_ in her couch while she was wrapping bandages around his half-naked form!

Completely baffled by the fact he had let his barrier down in the presence of another, her hands automatically stilled in surprise.

Violet eyes roamed over his relaxed features – something she would have never dared to have thought possible. The sea-green eyes, currently hidden underneath his eye lids, captivating with its mysterious shade and uniqueness. Defined cheek bones with the loss of baby fat angled his face quite nicely. His white hair still remained relatively unchanged which added a boyish charm to his matured features. Even she had to admit, he was indeed quite a sight to behold. How the members of the Soul Reaper Women's Association would howl in appreciation for the opportunity to examine the young captain so thoroughly.

With a watery smile, she allowed her thoughts to trail along such treasured memories.

Before her supposed 'downfall' towards that of corruption and greed, Rukia had readily attended the Soul Reaper Women's Association which basically was a meeting held for the female shinigami to gossip and talk about boys and sex.

She had found such gatherings much too _obnoxious_ for her taste and much preferred to be outdoors. But there were certain activities that had her immensely entertained such as the weekly ballads. Votes were taken regularly for a variety of outrageous polls that had the violet-eyed woman chuckling uncontrollably throughout the entire session. She could remember the time the majority of the members had passionately believed in the 'potential' of a certain ice-yielder. And tracing over his features now, Rukia had to admit they had been indeed correct to predict so. He had matured into a confident young man who reeked of masculine charm in all its alpha male domination.

He still seemed to possess the uncaring stern quality that had others creeping in fear of upsetting his unpredictable temper.

But she could equally detect a fair and just character who stubbornly pursued his beliefs with intense determination.

As if suddenly realising she had somehow complimented this man she barely knew, Rukia huffed in displeasure.

Quickly working through the rest of the bandages to get rid of this annoyance as soon as possible, Rukia surveyed her finished product to ensure they were of satisfactory standards. But whilst her examination, it suddenly the struck the petite shinigami the strong build of her companion.

While she had only grown a few centimeters in height, his growth spurt appeared to have struck hard for she could see him standing on equal grounds with nii-sama. _When had he grown so much taller?_ He was not bulky like Ichigo or Renji and was rather lean in size but still seemed to emit that of strength and power on par with her two best friends that deserved to be recognized and respected. And plus, if the taunt muscles of his abdomen was of any indication; Rukia had physical proof that this young ice-yielder was very much chiseled to perfection. Heat formulated in the poor girl's face as an entire load of unwanted images emerged single-handedly by a **dozing** individual. Mortified by such bodily responses to such an unresponsive individual, Rukia quickly removed herself from the vicinity of the couch soon after impatiently tapping the captain awake.

"You can go now." It was a command, not a request.

With her mask firmly set in place, she returned once more to her desk where piles of reports remained; needing her most immediate attention.

But the slightly disoriented ice-yielder only acknowledged her with a genuinely curious expression and failed to heed her 'polite' gesture.

In addition, his bandage-wrapped torso remained completely bare for all to openly gape at which had Rukia frantically trying to suppress another set of oncoming blushes. Quickly averting her gaze by turning back to the neglected documents, she hastily blurted out. "You could have gone to Unohana-taichou, you know," and mumbled in addition out of embarrassment. "She would have healed that in a matter of seconds."

"You know for a fact she fusses over her patients like a mother hen." Hitsugaya finally spoke, a silky lilting tenor, while rearranging his robes to make himself more presentable much to the young woman's relief.

"...I wouldn't know. I haven't had a chance to talk to her or anyone else for quite some time." Rukia winced in regret as soon as the wistful words left her lips.

But before she could redeem this moment of weakness with an even icier attitude, a strong calloused hand placed itself firmly underneath her delicate chin forcing her to make eye contact with furious teal ones.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" He growled unexpectedly causing a frown to appear on her pretty features. _What had gotten his panties in a bunch?_

Completely baffled by his anger being directed at her for no good reason whatsoever – the petite shinigami glared back at the injustice of if all. Violet eyes hardened immediately.

"Are you implying that this is all _my_ fault?" Her body shook in uncontrollable fury when he showed no indication of objecting. _How dare he_. Who does he think he is? "…**How** **dare** **you**. How dare you come here and make judgements when…y-you have no right!"

"Of course I have no fucking right!" He roared out just as ferociously. _She just didn't get it, did she?_ "Because you gave none of us the chance and even after all this, you're _still_ choosing to cut me out."

"...Let me help you." Hitsugaya continued. "You don't have to feel obligated to explain you and your brother's actions to me. I don't care. Just let me help lessen the burden."

Speechless and stunned, Rukia could nothing else but stare at him in wonder.

The firm grip loosened to a soft caress that almost brought tears to her eyes. When he felt her barriers weaken, he drew her into his arms once again as far as the wooden desk between them would allow. Refusing to loosen his grip when she wearily stirred in his arms, it was only when her hesitant voice echoed melodiously in the quiet confines of the office did his strained muscles relax immediately with relief.

"…If you so much as **infer** that I cried to any living soul, you'll wish you never-"

"You won't regret this, Rukia. That I promise you." Her muffled threats remained unheeded by an ecstatic Hitsugaya as he tightened his hold.

"Idiot."

Knowing very well that she should have felt utterly mortified for being comforted yet again by this individual; Rukia, however, could not help but relish in the comforting touch. Like a healing balm on her exhausted soul.

Taking a leap of faith, violent orbs slid shut in acceptance to the tempting offer of friendship.

And so began this strange 'relationship' between the Ice Dragon and the Butterfly.


	2. Testing the Waters

**Chapter 2: Testing the Waters**

_Let me help you_. He had exclaimed that day.

He had been all that of warmth and comfort; all that she had infinitely desired since the beginning of this entire façade. And being the ever-so-stupid-one, Rukia had allowed him to do so.

"...Bring the Bocchan dango next time, Abarai." He barked out a stern order.

"You've got to be kidding me Hitsugaya-taichou," the other with a much deeper tone whined fruitlessly. "Do you know how hard those are to find?"

"Did you just go against the _personal_ orders of a captain, you nitwit?"

"Since you're being a complete tyrant about this; yes, yes I am!"

"Why you-" Green eyes flared in response and the two continued bantering, completely oblivious to the individual situated at the back of the office who was quickly loosing her patience.

And now...she would forever be stuck with the consequences.

Rukia's eyebrows twitched in annoyance far too many times to keep count and was about to give them something _really_ worth arguing about.

The sheer audacity! Bickering over a piece of dango in _her_ office? Her anger intensified at the mere _sight_ of the two imbeciles. Perhaps she could dispose of these two for the sake of humanity? I mean, she was already famous for getting rid of her adoptive brother, temporarily excluding the fact that it was all an act. What's two more going to do? After all, if she had known that by subtly allowing the man to enter into her already complicated life would result in…_this_…she would have simply saved time as well as her sanity by running for the hills. Despite the fact that the wounds on his back had healed a long time ago, the unpredictable squadron leader still continued to visit her frequently.

But what was most frustrating was the fact that she _still_ remained oblivious to the reasons why he continued to be so **attentive**. When he had offered his friendship, she had assumed it had been more a long the lines of comradeship, that many of the shinigami shared in the Spirit World, or perhaps even that of pity. She had never in a million years expected such unconditional attention. In all retrospect, she had been extremely grateful when none of the Kuchiki clan elders were screaming bloody treason – allowing her to deduce and conclude that the Ice Dragon had kept everything nicely concealed. With such a significant part of the problem resolved, Rukia had expected her days to resume back to its normal routines of solitude and isolation. But alas, it seemed that the infamous Hitsugaya Toshiro found enjoyment in doing _everything_ on the contrary. The man was truly twisted in every possible way.

Hence, these unannounced visits continued and her division was thrown into utter chaos every time he did so. It had taken at least a whole week for the empowering sight of Hitsugaya – whose hard teal eyes always seemed to challenge those unfortunate enough to be caught within his field of vision – making his way through the corridors of the 6th division to be considered as nothing out of the ordinary.

But what irked her most was the way he pranced around in her division like he owned the goddamn place.

He was much too confident for her liking. He was overly cynical and apathetic and not to mention, he had issues – serious, _serious_ issues – when it came to his masculinity. It was as if his previous years of being 'vertically challenged' had brought forth complexities of some kind that had him smothering her every chance he got. It was as if the man lived and breathed to make her feel so very tiny, so very little, and so very _feminine_.

_Even Ichigo never made her feel this __**helpless**__. _He made her feel so many different things all at once that she didn't even know what to feel half the time. But most of all, Rukia still could not understand why the infuriatingly good-looking captain with spiky white hair and strong green eyes continued to haunt her every waking minute.

"-Matsumoto does it all the time!"

"Don't you dare compare this situation with that _abomination_ of a lieutenant," when had the yelling competition moved to the curvaceous woman? No matter. Rukia had finally decided. She would end the misery right now for the both of them. Matsumoto would be most pleased to learn that Seireitei would be free of one over-bearing 10th division captain whereas there would be one less hot-headed lieutenant in the 6th division. But before she could trade in her writing material for her personalised weapon, a velvety tenor rendered her completely immobile. Stunned violet eyes instantly rose to meet the unmoving green ones.

"I'm sure _Rukia_ agrees with me." He was looking all too smug for her liking. His **voice** and the way her name curled in his lips...

It was utterly extremely excruciatingly _unfair_; notwithstanding the fact that he went straight towards that of first name basis without even acquiring her permission ever since that fateful day. And he had made it his personal missions to emphasis this self-proclaimed right every chance he got. If it had been anyone else, she would have _literally_ knocked some sense into them. Unfortunately, Hitsugaya Toshiro was no longer just 'anybody'. Instead, he was a 'somebody' who had access to a secret that could not, under any circumstances, be revealed for the time being.

Therefore, physical torture was out of the question, much to Rukia's dismay. Then again, physically maiming him to the point of vegetation could prove to be most efficient...

"I'm sure I'm inclined to believe on the contrary, _Hitsugaya-taichou_." The honorific was emphasised through clenched teeth as the furious woman resumed with her paper work.

She was _never_ going to use his birth name, even if her life depended upon it.

"Perhaps I could persuade you to think otherwise?"

"I'm not easily persuaded." Rukia curtly replied.

"Precisely, you haven't been persuaded by _me_. And I am _very_ good at what I do." Teal eyes flared in amusement as Hitsugaya watched the transformation. The sight of her eyes brightening, cheeks darkening, and a gasp involuntarily escaping her ruby lips almost had him growling in pleasure.

She was absolutely stunning when she was mad.

Violet eyes truly turned murderous with that of the double meaning sentence and she abruptly stood with both hands slamming onto the wooden desk in fury. Her reiatsu bursted from the confines of her inner control and anger radiated in her very being; giving a different kind of angle to her beauty. Hitsugaya never broke eye contact as he remained comfortably seated on the couch; his predatory ease still evident throughout the entire engagement. And Renji could do nothing else but gulp at the electrifying tension arising between the two captains. Not wanting to get caught in the middle of _this_ particular storm, he quickly mumbled formalities and fled the room in haste.

At the sound of doors closing shut, Rukia stiffly turned towards the direction of the interference.

Finally realising that her oldest friend had left her office, the female Kuchiki captain let out a heavy sigh while brushing her silky locks aside in frustration.

Momentarily ignoring their outburst – which was common enough – Rukia dropped back into her seat and her eyes automatically slid shut; a desperate bid to compose herself. Falling into a familiar rotation around her temple, the petite shinigami proceeded on attempting to lessen the unbearable headache, all the while groaning internally for loosing her temper in the presence of her lieutenant, yet **again**.

"I wish you'd stop doing that." Rukia snapped absent-mindedly at the source of all her misfortunes. She could almost picture him smirking in response. "Stop provoking me, you insufferable man!"

She was the most adorable thing he had ever laid his eyes on. As Hitsugaya once again devoted his entire attention upon the petite shinigami huffing and puffing her way around the office, his eyes softened in that of endearment at the object of his affections. In all truths, she resembled a wet kitten, sharpening its claws – hissing and spitting – while her fur bristled with anger. Her violet eyes sparkled in defiance, absolutely determined to uphold her icy façade as long as it required her to do so. And yet, she was extremely easy to read – at least for him, she was – and Hitsugaya was still at a loss as to whether Byakuya placing such faith in his little sister's acting capabilities was worse than that of his comrades of Seireitei still remaining largely ignorant of the entire situation.

_But you enjoy having her all to your self. Admit it, Ice Dragon_. The inner voice chided.

Ah...**that **he did. The thrill of knowing that he was the only one she could ever turn to throughout this entire ordeal. Perhaps it was exceedingly selfish of him. But the reassurance of knowing that her smiles, her tears as well as her fits of anger would solely be his for the time being; was mind-numbingly addictive.

He had to, however, give them _some_ credit. Most of them were slowly catching on. They had taken painstaking time to do so, but they were becoming more alert with the situation at hand – that much Hitsugaya was certain. Taking into account the fact that it was close to a month since all of Seireitei had witnessed the strange 'friendship' establishing between two of their ice controllers; perhaps it was to be expected. It was the little things that the stern Ice Dragon noticed. Like the way Renji no longer fidgeted in her presence, or the way Jushiro would send _both_ ice controllers candy to last a life time, or even that of the rest of the squadron leaders constantly glancing at the young woman during those tedious weekly meetings – as if wanting to start a conversation of some sort – but alas, the violet-eyed shinigami was still much too quick for them. Such things gave them away, not to mention the fact that anyone he ran into would generally enquire along the lines of: 'How is Kuchiki-taichou doing?' 'Is she doing alright?' and the all time favourite; 'You better be nice to her, Hitsugaya. You hear?'

Screw Byakuya not being here, Hitsugaya muttered darkly to himself. It seemed like the entire Seireitei population were hell-bent on making up for his absence by being the overprotective burdens they were. It was most apparent that the pretty young woman was quite popular throughout various age and gender groups. Not only was she appeasing to the eye – although Hitsugaya was quite bias on the matter – but she was always quite easy to converse with; at least before this horrendous ordeal. There was something about her that made her so appealing to a variety of individuals from distinctly different backgrounds. She was such a contradicting little thing, a God-sent paradox that no one could just get enough of. She was strong, but fragile at the same time. She was highly intelligent and yet so dense when it came to noticing the interested suitors trailing after her every footstep. Throughout the unforgettable war, she had picked up a substantive amount of admirers not only from Soul Society, but also within the realm of the Human World. It was, after all, no hidden secret that the loud mouthed human substitute was absolutely infatuated with the violet-eyed shinigami.

A calculating frown edged its way into his eyebrows.

The sudden barricade of image of the orange-haired man made his blood boil as Hitsugaya could do nothing else but admit to the significant role Ichigo had indeed played throughout the infamous battles that had commenced and ended with the demise of the power-driven betrayer, Aizen Sosuke. The several months Rukia had spent with the annoyance during her stay in the Human World consequent of her loss of power, the unknown moments they would have secretly shared, how they would have confided in each other during their times of need... And when the bastard had saved her during the execution... In all truths, many had assumed the violet-eyed shinigami would return such affections without much difficulty.

Hence, when true peace had finally settled after many hardships and Kuchiki Rukia _still_ remained in Soul Society, the usually stoic Ice Dragon had been both astonished and silently thrilled at the chance being displayed. He could only feverishly hope that what she felt for the substitute was only that of brotherly affections that had risen from a solid friendship. And with her restricted visits to the Human World, the ice-yielder patiently waited for the right moment to pounce. Unlike the impatient substitute, Hitsugaya knew she was worth all the time he would inevitably spend; plotting to gain her affections. The young human was much too rash and tactless in his approach and what he lacked in experience; Hitsugaya had plenty with his hundred years of existence.

Now, this was not to suggest that he had feverishly chased after the opposite sex like that of the flamboyant Kyoraku but he had his fair share of woman to know what he was up against.

Despite his initial boyish appearances that had most of the older women cooing in adoration, a lot of the younger ones had pursued him quite persistently along with their high-pitched squeals and their supposedly 'heart-warming' confessions. Such an early encounter with these so-called 'fan-girls' had been traumatizing to say the least and Hitsugaya had contemplated driving Hyorinmaru through his heart simply to obtain afterlife and end this misery. At least Hinamori had been greatly sympathetic and had given her usual sisterly advice to the internal workings of a female mind. And so, by the time Matsumoto had entered his life as his lieutenant, her blatant sexuality did nothing to faze the young prodigy captain. And in retrospect, he was extremely grateful for passing through the 'adolescent stages' of a shinigami without making a complete fool of himself.

But it was safe to suggest that _all_ his hormonal-reactions made themselves present when Hitsugaya – the epitome of the uncaring hero – truly met Kuchiki Rukia for the first time during the entire Ichigo-ordeal.

And he had been at a loss for words. A soul pure enough to sacrifice herself for the sake of a mere human... A soul bright enough to burn with such intensity for her precious loved ones... A soul that was strong enough to withstand all the hardship that would surely come her way... She seemed to face everything around her with such a steeled resolution that the petite figure had radiated such presence like a beautiful War Goddess.

And she had the _exact_ same look drawn firmly upon her features on top of the forbidden cliff the day Byakuya had supposedly fallen to his demise.

It was due to such similarities that initially had Hitsugaya questioning the entire scenario.

He somehow found such a soul incapable of partaking in such an act and he was utterly grateful for this sharp deduction; it had been the catalyst that spurned the emotions he deeply felt for her.

And more than ever, Hitsugaya was extremely grateful for the inevitable growth spurt that he had been waiting for his entire shinigami life. It ensured that he was no longer just the handsome little captain who could be discarded as a mere figurine of a child. He was a fierce contender in this battle to win the heart of a certain ice controller and he would make sure he would come off as the winner. As conceited as it sounded, his newly grown height coupled with his firm body structure was a reassuring confidence boast that he desperately needed to stay in the lead. _Now, if only she would realize the definite attraction sizzling between the two of them_...

"Your tea is getting cold, Hitsugaya." Her sweet voice was soothing. He quietly noted to himself that her form of address still wasn't what he was quite looking for, but it was decisively much better than 'Hitsugaya-taichou'.

The restlessness of his inner flames were tamed instantaneously as teal eyes swiftly landed at the sight of the petite shinigami making her way towards the coffee table situated at the centre of her warmly lit office. She appeared to have finished pouting to her heart's content and was finally calm enough to finish the tray of goodies Renji had brought in not a moment past. As Hitsugaya scooted slightly to the side to make room for his companion, he could not help but marvel at her uncanny ability to switch from one particular mood to another during the briefest intervals.

Such a strange little female she was. As she happily eyed the goodies with an almost giddy look, her previous outbursts practically undetectable, Hitsugaya could do nothing else but smirk at her child-like fascination with the colourful display of sweets to nibble on. But all thoughts of innocence completely went out the window when a particular piece of dango neared the vicinity of her seductive lips – a gentle sigh escaping the confines of its redness as her pink moist tongue flicked out ever so slightly to absorb the sweetness. Teal eyes darkened unconsciously with anticipation as his companion continued with the consumption of the exquisite confection – her lips puckering ever so slightly. And with the witnessing of the final swirl of her tongue that languidly wrapped its prey into her mouth; nothing could lessen the sudden dryness of his throat.

Completely hypnotised by such a sensual display, Hitsugaya inhaled sharply to control his heated gaze that was trailing along the path of her milky, slender throat and down towards her...

"I hope you're still not sulking over the Bocchan dango," Rukia teased after swallowing a particularly strong flavoured dango; utterly oblivious to the exact reasons why the stoic ice-yielder was uncommonly silent. She continued forth while reaching for another scrumptious delicacy. "Hanami dango is pretty good as well. Besides, it's most appropriate for the season and you should learn to-" There was no chance in **hell **she was going to be able to finish that sentence.

Not when his eyes pierced into hers in such a manner as he took control of her fingers into his mouth, biting into the colourful dumpling and simultaneously gloating at the astonished expression on her face.

_She definitely wasn't expecting __**that**_, he thought to himself with a primal satisfaction.

A thoroughly embarrassed Rukia attempted to pull her hand away as she forced herself awake from such an intoxicating sight but he caught her wrist and prevented it, drawing with his mouth on her delicate fingers as if to get every last taste that he deserved. Her violet pupils dilated and her mouth opened in complete shock as she felt the softness of his tongue and the gentle grazing of his teeth. _What had brought this on?_ Rukia panicked, desperately hoping that the frantic beatings of her heart would go unnoticed.

"Taichou, didn't you say you needed to leave early to-" With a sharp gasp, the raven-haired beauty sprang apart from her captor; almost falling off the end of the couch.

_He seriously needed to get rid of the distractions_, Hitsugaya promptly declared internally as he casually rose. His calm mask conveyed absolutely nothing of the previous activities as his half-slanted eyes glared at the somewhat stunned lieutenant. A weird sort of expression twisted around Renji's features as he suspiciously eyed a thoroughly pissed off Hitsugaya-taichou as well as his own flustered captain.

"Ah...Yes, thank you, Renji." Her words faltered ever so briefly as she hastily stood from her defensive position.

Swiftly creating a distance between herself and the man who had yet again, managed to create such unexplainable sensations from the pit of her stomach; Rukia quickly found refuge in her office desk.

"Why? What are you doing tonight?" Never the one who allowed matters to go unfinished, Hitsugaya questioned directly.

Urging Renji to assist her in sorting out the paper work with a quick wave of her hand, the violet-eyed woman hastily began gathering her things; a different sort of apprehension drowning her senses for what was later to come. "Just...family business," she never once met his eyes – emersed in the current task of wrestling with her reports. But she did signal him a swift 'goodbye' with a curt nod of the head; a deep scarlet blush still apparent in her features.

"Hmm..." Oh well, he would let her slip for now. After all, it most definately had been a very _productive_ afternoon.

Relishing in the essence of her sweetness, Hitsugaya edged his way towards the door but not before placing great emphasis on something that had been on his mind the entire afternoon.

"Make sure you have the Bocchan dango next time, Abarai."

* * *

"-and hence, we present thee with the family heirloom."

The elaborately decorated room remained completely still as the ethereal creature stepped out of the lukewarm pool to accept the piece of clothing. Droplets of water dripped deliciously down the length of her porcelain skin making her look like a water nymph – the white kimono clinging to the delicate curves hidden beneath.

The purification ceremony was finally complete. "Be weary for these are our laws, written long before thy time by those far wiser than thee."

The exquisite scarf created by the master weaver from the exotic materials of silver-white windflower silk, was the ultimate sign of power and status that was to be presented within the household. But to Rukia, it was a finalization of a contract that sealed her into the clutches of the elders; intertwining her with the fate of the clan to the very end. Feeling the emptiness contract within the very depth of her soul, the beautiful shinigami willed the painful sensations to subside. _This is it_. Hidden tremors erupted deep within her. _There is no turning back_. She would no longer be her own. _Please, give me strength._ Masking her internal struggles with expertise, the petite yet powerful woman gently tipped her head forward – as a sign of acceptance.

The irony of the whole situation, however, was never lost upon her.

How the private ceremony radiated of displeasure. The council comprised of the old and the wise – the elders of the Kuchiki clan – were seething in anger which was completely understandable, considering the fact that a girl who overlooked for her insignificance was being honored with a position such as this. But at the same time, fear grappled their darkened hearts; for they were unable to predict what they were to endure serving this..._mysterious_ woman. After all, Kuchiki Byakuya – her **own** adoptive brother – had been killed by her very hands. They had absolutely no idea what she would be capable of.

An elder stepped forward and wrapped it around her swan-like neck. "Wear it always with the knowledge of the responsibilities thou carry as the 29th head of the noble Kuchiki clan," another from the council croaked as the grim lines on his wrinkled face intensified. And yet, when the violet-eyed woman sent a silent glance his way, he could not help but tremble and hastily add in; 'Rukia-sama,' at the end of his sentence. The light green of the material contrasted deeply with her hair, as black as the night, that brought out her magnetic features and in an instant; dissatisfaction was quickly replaced by that of complete captivation. She looked every part the noble lady she was.

No one could deny the fact that she was _born_ for this.

Her bare feet maneuvered the enchantress down the length of the brightly-lit room, droplets of water cascading gently to the wooden floor. But with every delicate step, her violet eyes steeled while her movements gained momentum which led to the unconscious release of her element. The luminous glow she emitted was like a midsummer night's dream with the frozen water droplets glittering gently against the softness of her skin. The elegantly carved traditional doors slid aside as she stepped out into the outer ward of the Western Wing that connected to the central gardens of the household. A line of servants bowed, portraying their deepest respects to the petite woman as she gracefully made her symbolic journey to her rightful place – ice crystals sparkling as they fluttered around her. And when Rukia finally reached her destination, the rest of the members of the Kuchiki clan all dropped to their knees pledging their loyalty to the new heiress who stood majestically in the central ring of the garden.

Amongst the crowd of individuals, the white butterfly looked as enchanting as the lonesome moon, guarding the deepest and darkest secrets of the universe.

And yet, even the darkness itself could do little to justify the pain eating away in her heart.

_It had finally begun and there was no turning back_.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

With that of daylight, the horrors of the previous night remained hidden and concealed from the outer world.

The private ceremonies of a long forgotten tradition seemed all but a dream. And all that remained was the heaviness weighing down in her heart.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." The whirl of cherry blossoms enclosed the next target with its deadly beauty.

They crept upon the defenseless figure that just barely managed to stand, panting in sheer exhaustion. Several parts of her body extensively injured and at that particular moment, she inhaled much too deeply for her damaged form to handle and a coughing fit had her shaking uncontrollably. Before she could even compose herself, however, violet eyes widened in alert as sharpened petals pierced through her porcelain skin. A silent scream escaped her widened ruby lips. Blotches of pink and red swarmed around the petite figure with the intent to search-and-destroy.

But when the next wave of attack struck to finally conclude the matter, the figure dissolved with an intense explosion of ice crystals and water beads. _An illusion_...Kuchiki Byakuya emerged while removing his bankai as he stoically gazed at the site of destruction. _She has gotten much stronger_. And soon enough, his mouth twitched into a satisfied smirk – barely visible but evident nonetheless.

"You seem to have developed an enjoyment for dramatics," he spoke in amusement to the figure safely perched on the gigantic tree branch situated behind him.

Chuckling in response, Rukia emerged from the confines of the shade provided by the majestic plantation – not a scratch in sight.

"I learned from the best, nii-sama." Grinning in satisfaction, the female shinigami jumped down from the tree and landed beside her adoptive brother without even making a sound – the light green scarf trailing after her like a faithful shadow. The all too obvious implications had Byakuya frowning slightly in regret and guilt. A heartless household operating upon cold harsh rules that punished and stigmatised; this was not a suitable place for the little one. Now that she was formally enacted as the head of the Kuchiki clan, the confines of the wooden walls and paper doors would encage the tiny butterfly. No, she was a creature of freedom that needed the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the golden fields. She did not belong in that cold harsh world.

_They would surely break her_. And yet, her eyes glittered in absolute happiness as they looked up into his, a precious sight that had Byakuya making oath once more; he would protect his pride and joy with his life. Just a few more weeks and this would be all over. "Oh, I wish you'd stop doing that, Rukia. It gets my heart doing marathons every time you use those tricks of yours, even if it may be training," luckily a quiet feminine voice interrupted from the side.

Perking up in visible happiness as if she had located the most exquisite stuffed-animal known to mankind, Rukia sprinted towards her pregnant sister who was gracefully seated on the porch – practically reeking of protective maternal instincts as she began lecturing her precious younger sibling. Correction – he would protect **their **pride and joy until the very end. Byakuya watched the love of his life gently stroke Rukia's cheeks that were considerably reddened due to the previous exertions. Nearly seven months pregnant, Hisana was all that of gentleness and his heart swelled at the loving sight she presented, eyes radiating with happiness and skin glowing beautifully. He further examined his adoptive sister pouting adorably at the other in hopes of erasing the slight frown decorating her gracious features and true to her objective, both of them were giggling like there was no tomorrow. Content for the very first time in his life, the supposedly deceased heir of the Kuchiki clan made his way towards the two most important individuals in his life. _This was all that he had ever desired in life. _

What use did he have for fame and fortune? He had remained at the clan due to that of obligation and duty he owed to his beloved parents. He owed absolutely _nothing_ to those power hungry elders.

Hence, those _imbeciles_ crossed the line when they elicited signs of threatening his wife and sister-in-law. Despite the displeasure they may have endured from the marriage itself, Byakuya would have never supposed them to be so stupid enough to challenge his decision as well as his authority. As soon as he learned of their malicious schemes through his very own network, the initiation of his plan went under way without any set-backs or hesitation. Clenching his fists in pure fury at the very thought of harm befalling upon his loved ones, his usually calm reiatsu ignited dangerously. They, however, evaporated as swiftly as they had emerged when _her_ voice soothed his fuelled temper, calming him instantly in a way she was only capable of.

"Anata, you are just as much at fault here. Rukia is becoming head-strong like you," Hisana retorted in humour, completely oblivious to the changes in the atmosphere.

"I doubt I have _that_ much influence over her, Hisana," he replied smoothly while crossing the remainder of the distance in a few strides – signaling a startled Rukia to not worry over his abrupt reaction.

Wrapping his arm around his wife, Byakuya opted for something far more enjoyable resulting in the three occupants conversing for hours at end with ease and familiarity – simply enjoying each others company. As Hisana rose to retrieve something more to nibble on, the futile protests of both her husband and her baby sister regarding her 'condition' were being unheeded once more. Giggling at her sister's own display of 'head-strong' qualities, Rukia took another long sip of her warm green tea while enjoying the tickling sensations presented by a warm afternoon breeze.

Summer was finally drawing near and despite having to constantly uphold her icy façade ever since that gruesome day, Rukia still could not help but feel the excitement build up in her stomach at the mere thought of attending the Summer Festival – the highlight of the season. Even though her brother and sister would most undoubtedly be absent this year, the thought of attending alone did absolutely nothing to dampen the young woman's spirit. Besides, she could always ask Ichigo to come and visit for a while during such times of festivity. At a more subconscious level, however, the violet-eyed shinigami was most certain that she would not be left to her own devices – not if a certain possessive captain had anything to say about it. She may not truly understand their relationship just yet, but she could not help but admit that she did enjoy his vists, their little bickering sessions, and even their more..._intimate _moments.

A hesitant yet charming smile spread across her features, Rukia – ever the oblivious one to her own set of appeals – was not even the tiniest bit aware of what such a smile did to her already stunning features.

But ever the quick one, Byakuya mentally groaned as he berated himself for finally realising the all too obvious signs. _How could he have been so thoughtless?_ The endless amount of suitors his adoptive sister seemed to attract back in Seireitei as well as the Human World... And the very idea of such occurrences continuing in his **absence **had Byakuya rubbing his temples in frustration. Perhaps he should have reconsidered and confided in Renji to make sure Rukia remained 'undisturbed' by such insignificant beings.

The endless duties of an older brother... "Is anyone giving you a hard time?" He _casually_ enquired.

"Ah...well...I-It's nothing I can't handle, nii-sama," Rukia replied, somewhat surprised at the randomness of the question. Byakuya's eyes, however, hardened in response.

That was definitely **not** the answer he was looking for. But before the oblivious woman could even figure out her supposed error, the Kuchiki heir instantly sought to rectify his displeasure in typical Kuchiki fashion.

"Who is bothering you?"

"It's...It's not that he is bothersome, nii-sama..." _That did it_. The mere fact that the individual was a 'he' was good reason enough to forget the entire façade and hunt the bastard down.

Seething in response to the miscomprehended fact, Byakuya was much too busy conjuring up the most painful method of torturing the insolent male who dared to approach his innocent adoptive sister. _It was absolutely unacceptable!_ His lack of speech had Rukia completely misreading him once again as she frantically tried to explain the recent turn of events.

"Forgive me nii-sama! Hitsugaya-taichou somehow appears to have figured out that the entire thing was an act. I am uncertain as to how he found out but he is also aware of the whereabouts of yourself and Hisana-onee-chan..._and_-"

And this was how Hisana found them as she balanced the tray filled with goodies to munch on – her husband off in his own world while her baby sister was almost hysterical to the point of looking comical. Now, she may not be an expert in reading reiatsu but she _knew_ her husband and sister inside out and her over-protective partner only got _that_ particular look on his face when anyone ever so much as looked at their Rukia the wrong way. Lightly shaking her head in humour as she placed the tray down, Hisana shooed Byakuya away to put his anger to good use. _Certain things simply required the touch of a woman_.

And she also knew for a fact that there was going to be plenty of chopped up firewood this evening.

With a reassuring smile gracing her features, Hisana commenced with the next-line-of-action of calming down her hysterical sibling. After a few minutes or so, a much calmer Rukia proceeded in narrating the long tale that involved the ultimate controller of the Ice Dragon. As the incidents came to be reiterated, Hisana was all that of astonishment at the unexpected turn of events and what was even more mind staggering was the fact that this young man had achieved the impossible – wreck havoc in the orderly world of her younger sister.

Of course, the incident regarding the human substitute – Kurosaki Ichigo – had indeed affected the young woman but only to a certain degree. He had perhaps acted as a catalyst in lessening her long-driven guilt regarding the unfortunate circumstances of Lieutenant Kaien, but in the end, her own inner strength and the endless support from various other individuals had ultimately terminated the haunting demons. Similarly, Rukia had always been fully aware of the consequences resulting from her forbidden actions but had remained in the Human World most probably due to the strong sense of responsibility she would have felt towards the orange-haired male. All in all, Rukia seemed to form attachments to the opposite sex usually based upon feelings of duty which arose from her strong sense of responsibility, her selfless qualities and her kind giving nature.

But for the first time in her life, another seemed to have initiated a relationship that was not based upon any of the above and it seemed to have thoroughly confused the young woman.

After all, Hitsugaya-taichou had nothing to gain from such a connection and the very idea of him wishing to get closer to her, simply for the sake of it, seemed to have thrown her oblivious sister down the tunnel of turmoil. Now, this was not to suggest that her relationship with others such as Ichigo or Renji were purely based upon that of calculated gains and losses. On the contrary, they would remain as thick as thieves to the very end – watching over one another as attentively as any best friend would. Perhaps in a different time under different circumstances, things might have turned out quite differently. However, there was the general saying, 'first come, first serve' and it was literally for the very first time that someone had dared to – in the absence of Byakuya, of course – look at the young woman with something much _more_ than mere kindness or companionship.

And it seemed to have thoroughly confused the beautiful shinigami. "-and he drops by the office _constantly_. I think he feels sorry for me considering that I no longer pursue any form of social interaction with the others..." Rukia hesitantly concluded – a deep scarlet blush enveloping her entire face. "I am so sorry onee-chan. I should have been more careful..." Her sister painted an absolutely miserable picture with her eyes cast downwards and her hands absent-mindedly fidgeting in nervousness. Almost cooing at the endearing habit, Hisana opted for biting the insides of her cheeks with every intention of suppressing a delightful squeal that was threatening to escape the confines of her lips. Darn hormones.

"Oh, Rukia! When will you drop the habit of blaming yourself for every single little thing? It was to be expected. Do not distress yourself over the inevitable." Hisana exclaimed. She patted those nervous hands in a reassuring manner and added another remark – this time, with a bit of humour. "And judging from your description, I am sure we have nothing to worry about. Hitsugaya-taichou does not sound like the type that gossips."

Rukia could not help but chuckle at that particular description.

"Besides, it is I who should be sorry for causing you such hardship."

Hisana continued and her eyes softened considerably as she watched her sister vigorously shake her head at the comment. _Such a selfless girl_...Giving a gentle tap against her over-blown stomach, she continued forth but on a merrier note.

"Once this little one finally comes out, everything will be back to normal. However, perhaps the time apart will do you some good – without the both of us breathing down your neck, that is," both smiled simultaneously at the imagery but Hisana mentally added; 'and love would most definitely do you some good.' Reaching out to cradle Rukia's face as if it was the most precious jewel of all, Hisana drew her little sister closer while doing her very best impression of a hug despite the round bulge that remained firmly situated in between the two sisters.

"There will be those who enter and leave your life in a short span of time. There will, however, be those who you will be most proud to call as 'friends'. But there will also be that one special person who will remain by your side to the very end. Learn to treasure them, Rukia." _Learn to treasure the love you were born relish in, my dearest sister_...

Lulled by the familiar motherly scent that could only belong to her beloved sister, violet eyes drifted shut.

But even as she leaned against the comforting embrace; Rukia could not help but hazily wonder why greenish teal eyes sprang into her mind with the mentioning of that 'special' person.

A pot of green tea and a plate filled with a variety of dango remained untouched on the side.

"...Is that Bocchan dango, onee-chan?"


	3. Tricks of the Mind

**Chapter 3: Tricks of the Mind**

_Glazed violet eyes stared back at the smug looking green ones in shock._

_There she stood and here he remained. But very, __**very**__ soon; the distance would be inconsequential. __For, she would finally be his..._

_Nobody else's but exclusively his, just as she had been ever since the day she had stirred his curiosity. And by the end of the day, he would make it his outmost personal mission to have her bent over screaming his name in pure ecstasy; begging for release._

"_H-Hitsugaya..." Ah, yes. It would be his pleasure to start with those lips. However, it would be such a __**shame**__ to allow his __**last**__ name to spill out of such delectable delicacies considering what he was going to do to them. __It just would not do. It was simply unacceptable. __The situation needed to be immediately rectified to that of a more...__**favourable**__ one._

_And he was going to enjoy every second of it._

"_Well, well..." A dangerous grin spread across his face as he eyed his trapped prey in thrilling anticipation. "What do we have here?"_

_Her eyes widened instantly followed by a sharp intake of air. Those soft small hands instantly sprang up and tightly clutched onto the fabric of her kimono situated at the left of her chest region – directly above her fluttering heart. __Completely satisfied with her unconscious response to his very presence, the young man answered with a deep chuckle; making those pretty blushes ten folds darker. __That was all he needed to make his advances – pushing the stunned figure further into the inescapable section of the office. With each calculated step, the young man inevitably inched closer to the flustered creature in deliberate ease. Such a delicate little thing; he cooed with endearment as he caressed her entire figure with a swift gaze starting from the very tip of her feet to the soft curves as well as that swan-like neck..._

_...That was fruitlessly concealing her rapidly increasing pulse._

_The very knowledge sent welcoming chills down Hitsugaya's spine. __Teal eyes darkened immediately as he licked his lips at the delicious sight trembling before him._

_She was trapped. __She was completely trapped in the corner of her __**own**__ office. __His flaming reiatsu surrounding the petite female…_

_It consumed like no other, taking over her entire being as he drew closer than ever before. And soon, he towered over her with both arms strategically placed to trap the tiny woman between the confines of the wall and his firm body. Escape would be close to impossible. __A burst of jasmine seeped into his system and Hitsugaya instinctually growled in pure delight. __But he dared not to touch, at least, not yet. __He would allow him the pleasure to do so as soon as he took care of a little problem..._

"_Rukia," he teased out. The flinch was duly noted. But she failed to respond and instead, shyly lowered her eyes – thick lashes fanning her reddened cheeks. "Look at me, little one."_

_As expected, his little butterfly resisted. But no matter, he was a resourceful man who extracted whatever he could in any situation. And being a good deal taller than his petite companion Hitsugaya had the required leverage to look down upon his prey, most advantageously able to examine and study his object of desire._

_But what began as a flirtatious exchange went completely out the window when the said male witnessed the raven beauty tentatively bite into her bottom lip – a blatant indication of her internal conflict between various emotions cast upon by yours truly. It was intensely exhilarating and Hitsugaya was undone immediately. It severed the playfulness in his approach and the Ice Dragon charged forth; mercilessly crushing his firm body into hers, capturing her stunned lips with his mouth and tongue._

_Instantly she was pushed against the wall, both of her legs carelessly tossed over his hip._

_He may have heard a small gasp but it remained unheeded as he greedily took in the exquisite feel and taste of her very essence; slipping past her slightly parted lips and invading into the moist cavern of her mouth. His lean, taut body grinding further into her lithe form; hot, wet tongue sliding sensuously against hers. He was wracking havoc with his meticulous and bruising kisses – nipping and taunting and soothing – all the while coaxing her reddened, kiss-swollen lips to relax and trust him completely in this intimate exchange. __The proud captain groaned approvingly when she arched against him and one of his hands eagerly tangled itself in her raven locks while the other continued to support one of her legs._

_All in all, she was __**completely**__ under his mercy._

_Finally releasing her lips, he diverted his attention to the enticing path of her neglected throat. She mewled provocatively, her breath coming in harsh gasps, when he scrapped his teeth lightly against her sensitive skin._

_His chest rumbling in appreciation as the little butterfly trembled beneath him. _"_That's my girl." Hitsugaya chuckled approvingly as his hands gripped and glided down her soft curves. He smiled against the milky expanse of her shoulder blade, his body humming with satisfaction. "Moan for me, little one." It was a whisper of a command but when both of his calloused hands lightly teased her inner thighs; she whimpered helplessly at the back of her throat._

_Wanting more, his lips skimmed her ear; his tongue snaking out to trace the edge._

"_Hitsugaya!" A strangled cry escaped those supple lips immediately._

_That's it. Cry out for me; say my name._

_He fingers lightly drew intricate patterns, just the briefest touch that had her craving for more._

"_...T-Toshi... Toshiro..." she breathlessly whined._

_Ah...__**yes**__._

"Shiro-chan!" A distinctively _un-Rukia_ like voice rang out; his ignited body jerking back on reflex. _He knew that voice. _And much to his dismay, the out-of-context interruption resulted upon the evaporation of the hot steamy office, the addictive scent of jasmine, smokey violet eyes and the responsive body beneath him.

It took a while to decipher the familiar scent of the forest as well as the warmth radiating from his nicely toasted abdomen. Naptime was officially over.

"…Momo," Hitsugaya gritted out in recognition. He reluctantly arose from his initial position of leaning comfortably against a particularly large and sturdy branch as he glared down at his childhood friend.

If it had been anyone else, he would have plummeted them for insolence: (1) by calling him 'Shiro-chan' and most importantly; (2) for waking him up from a particularly _pleasant_ dream. But since Momo was like an older sister, he would let it slide for the moment. But it did not change the fact that he was in a foul mood.

"What do you want?" He grumbled. As childish as it may seem, Hitsugaya still refused to cooperate by getting down from his plantation of choice. He had, after all, earned this little time to himself by finishing all his _fucking_ reports and putting up with a particularly smashed lieutenant of his. And he sure as hell wasn't going to give up his brief moment of freedom _unless_ it was a continuation of the activities he had been _eagerly_ engaging in not a moment ago within the subconscious realm of his mind.

Huffing at his usual display of stubbornness, Hinamori yelled out her message – her voice bouncing echoes off into the distance. "Yamamoto-genryusai has been asking for you!"

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"You called for me, Yamamoto-genryusai?" Hitsugaya promptly addressed the General as soon as he stormed into the office.

His wrinkled eyes – battered but wise with the passing of the time – continued to scan through the report at hand with expertise; as expected from a man of his position.

Their leader's office was situated at the center of the main building, the very top floor that was blessed with the breath-taking view as well as the constant warmth of the sunlight. It was spacious, not extravagant; simple yet elegant. He was, after all, a man of simplicity and yet, even through that of simplicity; his strength and charisma as the head-captain translated through. He may not be the most _expressive_ individual on the planet, but Hitsugaya had the deepest respect for this elder.

But despite his infinite guidance of silent affirmations and unspoken support; the old geezer always managed to provoke him excessively with his _know-it-all_ approach.

"Ah, yes, Hitsugaya-taichou. Please, take a seat." The elder calmly instructed.

But as expected, his request remained unheeded as the stubborn captain firmly shook his head as a negative. "I'm fine standing, sir," the ice controller gritted through clenched teeth. His annoyance flared intensely as those sharp eyes stared at him in nothing less than blatant amusement.

"Impatient, I see." A swift glare was the only next-line-of-action.

Teal eyes narrowed dangerously as Hitsugaya inhaled forcefully in a bid to control himself. _Calm down Ice Dragon_; he internally chided. _The sooner this meeting adjourns, the sooner I can visit my little shinigami_. Chanting such thoughts repetitively, the white-haired male urged his rigid body to relax as he expectedly eyed his commander to commence in haste. After all, he had better things to do; like seducing his little butterfly. But Hitsugaya unconsciously straightened when the deep gruff voice of his leader held no trace of humour whatsoever in his next sentence.

"...It has come to my attention that you have somehow gotten involved in the current situation regarding Kuchiki-taichou."

_That __**definitely**__ calmed him down on many levels_.

The General emitted all that of ease, his posture very much authoritative with his back resting powerfully against the exquisitely crafted furniture. It alerted the ice controller with alarming precision and accuracy. "Let me be blunt, Hitsugaya," he immediately dropped any hint of formality as his expressions took a more serious turn. "I had not intended anyone else to get involved in this..._family dispute_. The matter at hand is an extremely delicate one and as your leader, I must caution and emphasis that you refrain from getting involved any further." The underlying implication was all too clear.

"Is that an order, sir?" His eyes hardened in obvious displeasure as his mouth curled into a dangerous snarl.

"...It is more of a request from an old friend," the commander also showed no indication of backing down. Two powerful individuals were at a standoff. "I am _asking_ you, as one your oldest comrades, to step back this time."

"And if I refuse?" The following response was an expected one.

"You shall face the consequences for insubordination, _Hitsugaya-taichou_."

He never did respond well to threats_._

"Then you'd better quickly come up with a creative way of punishing me, Yamamoto-genryusai, because I assure you; I will _not_ back down on this matter." The temperature in the room descended most rapidly with the ice controller showing no pretense of concealing his disdain and anger. His feelings for the girl surpassed all that of a platonic relationship but even before all that, he regarded her as a friend. And he did **not** abandon any of his comrades. Several moments of utter silence remained between the two males. Teal eyes refused to lower but instead, blazed at his opponent with all that of defiance and determination; and most importantly, all that of devotion for the subject at hand.

"…I see."

Perhaps it had been the particular glint in his eyes because the most unexpected thing happened. A generous smile gradually spread across the wrinkled features of the old Mortimer and Hitsugaya could do nothing else but frown in annoyance, not liking the unexpected outcome of the heated battle. _Why did he feel like he had just passed some sort of a test? _Before the furious Ice Dragon could demand an explanation his leader swiftly proceeded onto the next act of this confusing play – leaving this particular actor at a loss with his uncertainty over the script.

"Enter." On cue, the firmly closed doors were pushed aside to reveal an individual - a very petite one at that. Teal immediately clashed with violet.

"Yamamoto-genryusai," the raven-haired captain spoke with confidence all the while performing a graceful formal bow as soon as she entered the room. On the surface, Hitsugaya may have been all that of frost and ice but inwardly, he had been pleasantly surprised by the turn of the events. _Interesting._ With a quick nod; he made his acknowledgment regarding the unexpected addition in wonder – the said woman coming to a halt to his right. She, on the other hand, seemed to have anticipated his presence but very much like him; still uncertain as to _why_ they were here _together_ in their leader's office. His questioning gaze was answered with a slight shrug of her own.

The ease they shared was duly noted by the General as he began his usual weekly enquiry. It seemed the rumours had indeed been true - that of the unexpected friendship being established between the two ice controllers of Seireitei.

"Are the supplies of food and necessities being delivered diligently by my personals?"

"Yes, Yamamoto-genryusai. We thank you for your support," she replied professionally, silently approaching forth to hand in her updated report. Nevertheless, the gratitude from within her expressive violet orbs remained visible under the watchful gaze of an experienced and seasoned elder.

General Yamamoto almost smiled at such a genuine display. It was definitely a most refreshing sight; to witness an individual who was not afraid to convey raw emotions at its very basic formation.

Masking his own internal amusement (having an unbelievably long beard and bushy eyebrows had its benefits) the General read through the succinct and well-written parchment. After several comfortable minutes, he finally removed his eyes away from the report at hand as he regarded the two squadron captains. He drew his – _outwardly_ – frail looking hands together in such a way that never failed to smarten and capture the undivided attention of the receiver.

"I see that you have finally been given the head position of your clan. I congratulate you, Kuchiki Rukia." The light green of the scarf was an expected addition to her uniform. He could simply picture the old **farts** in the Kuchiki clan grinding their teeth in painful fury due to the formal enactment of a young woman who was only related through her sister's marriage to the household; not that of blood. He would absolutely _relish_ in the opportunity to rub it in their stuck up faces as soon as the opportunity arose. "I've been informed that the private ceremony had been a success." He continued, internally jumping up and down in joy. "You have done well." Was that a twinkle of humor reaching her eyes? It seemed the young woman was just as perceptive as she was expressive. "When are they planning to return back to Seireitei?"

"The baby is due in a couple of months but it all depends on the health of the child as well as the mother, sir," the soon-to-be aunt proudly declared.

Satisfied with the overall outcome, it was now time to brush upon the more serious issues that needed to be diligently taken care of. Leaning slightly towards the female captain the General began speaking in a more conspiring manner, his voice slightly deeper and richer in its conveyance. And yet, it was audible enough for the white-haired occupant to eavesdrop and stash away the relevant information at the back of his mind.

"And how are the _eliminations_ going so far?"

With a swirl of jasmine, the petite woman drew herself directly in front of the leader, only the wooden desk serving as a hindrance. Her voice similarly dropping an octave as if to accommodate the dire importance of the matter being discussed. "Our network has been able to formulate a draft list of the possible threats from within the Kuchiki household." A folded paper was discreetly retrieved from her outer captain's coat as she directly handed it into the commander's hand. The inner network consisted of a handful of loyal individuals specifically chosen by Kuchiki Byakuya soon after he was appointed the clan leader. And it was safe to suggest that her brother had chosen well. These members were the best in their field – whether it be combat, intelligence, spying or communication. It was something that Rukia could personally vouch for. She had, after all, witnessed first hand their competence and diligence in her personal dealings with them now that she had temporarily taken nii-sama's place.

After his own initiation, Byakuya seemed to have commenced with his long-term plan of establishing a secret organisation solely for the purpose of staying one step ahead of the greedy elders; for the good of the household in times of need – such as her own execution, for example. It was something that had recently come to light in which a thoroughly embarrassed Byakuya had reluctantly revealed how the network had feverishly tried to come up with an extensive plan revolving around the retrieval of his beloved adoptive sister during her incarcerated days. It was something that he had been prepared to personally partake in – never trusting others to do a proper job. But one thing he had miscalculated was the extent to which Ichigo and the gang were prepared to fight as well. It had been the most chaotic day, indeed. But in the end, everything had worked out perfectly (minus the fact that Ichigo and nii-sama had gone _way_ overboard with their so-called 'battle of the pride').

_**Men**_... _and their unbelievably stupid egos_... Internally rolling her eyes at that particular thought, Rukia smartly concluded the report.

"They will inform me in a couple of days when more solid evidence are obtained, Yamamoto-genryusai."

"I see. I expect to be given the final report as soon as it is complete."

"Understood," with a final bow, the raven-haired beauty retreated to her initial position – most eager to put such plans into action. _The hunt had finally begun_. Those imbeciles were going to pay for even considering the _idea_ of harming her sister and they would learn first hand that Rukia was someone who was not to be messed around with. The consequences would be excruciatingly severe.

"Very good, very good," the elder drawled out approvingly. "Now, the final matter that we are to discuss today is regarding the both of you…"

"I'm sure you have deduced by now, Hitsugaya-taichou, that our former Kuchiki-taichou and his wife have left the confines of Seireitei due to safety reasons." Letting out a few dry coughs, the General calmly reached for the glass of water diligently supplied by his lieutenant. He relentlessly continued after clearing his scratchy throat. "Their deaths had been staged in order to initiate the following phase of the plan – the enactment of Kuchiki Rukia as the leader of the clan. Luckily, they have been much too afraid to object due to their false belief that Kuchiki-taichou killed her brother in cold blood."

At the corner of his eye, Hitsugaya saw the young woman's hands fidget in discomfort. "And due to her elevated position, she has been able to locate the small number of individuals planning to initiate a rebellion from _within_ the clan and they _must_ be stopped. But because you have somehow gotten yourself involved, I have decided that you are to work together with Kuchiki-taichou in the elimination process." A mysterious spark crept into his crinkled eyes as he observed them for an outwardly reaction. If he had been a betting man, he would have assumed something along the lines of surprise or even that of anger would commence.

After several minutes of absolute rigidity, the General was reminded once again why he was _not_ a habitual gambler.

"…If I may, sir," Rukia slowly replied; making sure to contemplate each word before allowing her voice to articulate them. She was, after all, treading on dangerous ground here. "I would _hate_ for Hitsugaya-taichou to be…_inconvenienced_ for my carelessness. I request that he remains _undisturbed_ by such _minor_ family matters." _Please say yes, please say yes!_

Friend or not, the very idea of spending _more_ time than they already were did not sound like a good idea. After that unexplainable incident involving Hanami dango, her fingers, and his tongue; she hadn't known what to expect on his next visit. But much to her relief and disappointment, he had acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred the day before as he simply regarded her light green scarf with an approving look and congratulated her. Soon after, they had chatted about the most mundane things and Rukia found herself relaxing more and more in his company. All in all, he had become an irreplaceable 'friend' during such a difficult time. With that of ease and familiarity, however, a complete different problem had come to light. They were getting a little _too_ comfortable. It would, of course, be nothing major. It would be just the little things. Like the way the handsome captain would lightly brush the hair away from her face, the warm caresses to the cheek, and how he would _casually_ place his chin just on top of her head whenever he wanted to see what she was reading. Rukia was by all means no stranger to physical contact. But when she found herself coming to **anticipate **such intimate interaction with Hitsugaya, warning bells had rung for hours in her head. Affection would simply complicate matters.

And after careful deliberation (with an intense headache to boot), the young heiress came to the conclusion that the only way to control such _urges_ was to distance herself for the time being. She would simply have to be careful around him for a couple of days and everything would be back to normal.

But alas, fate never seemed to go her way as _his_ silky voice leisurely interrupted her desperate plea.

"I am quite sure Yamamoto-genryusai does not find these matters to be of _minor_ importance when it involves the safety of important squadron members – such as yourself; Kuchiki-taichou." Hitsugaya replied with eased practice, a profoundly dangerous looking glint entering into his eyes. He was clearly challenging her. "I would _hate_ for you to be injured in which my lack of assistance arose simply due to reasons of _inconvenience_." It was violet eyes that narrowed in annoyance this time. _That crafty bastard_. She was getting a nasty feeling that he was purposely making this difficult for her.

In all truths, Hitsugaya was eagerly awaiting his little vixen's counterattack, loving the way she managed to keep him on his toes.

"I thank you for your concern but I assure you that I am fully capable of taking care of myself." The challenge was answered with a bit of baiting of her own. "I hope _you_ are not presuming that I lack the required skills to successfully complete this mission on my own?" Feminism definitely had its perks.

"Not at all, Kuchiki-taichou. I have great faith in your ability and trust that you have the situation under control." _The little minx_... "It is merely that I wish to ensure that I am doing all that I can to be helpful for my fellow squadron captains in their times of need." Hitsugaya was grinning from ear to ear as he regarded her in satisfaction with long languished looks. How she delighted him with that temper of hers.

"Oh! I do not doubt your _sincerity_ in wishing to assist your fellow comrades." Momentarily pausing for emphasis, Rukia continued. "But nevertheless, your responsibilities as a squadron captain should not be discarded simply on my behalf. Don't you agree, Hitsugaya-taichou?" If the situation had allowed her to do so, Rukia would have batted her eye-lashes excessively for emphasis.

"Absolutely. But it is a pity that you have such little faith in my ability to multi-task, Kuchiki-taichou. I hope _you_ are not making presumptions about _my_ abilities as a captain." **Hook. line. sinker.**

"N-no, of course not! _But_-" In absolute dismay and horror, Rukia's eyes widened at the crucial mistake. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She had fallen right into that one. Talk about contradicting yourself... The young woman looked about as shocked as a deer caught in the headlights and like a true seeker, Hitsugaya took full advantage of her stumble. His eyes gleamed brilliantly when his gaze made full contact with hers yet again. In all truth, she looked about as happy as a child being assigned to get all her teeth pulled out. The very idea that his little butterfly was nervous around him was in actual fact great news. It ensured that she was starting to unreval the attraction that had been blazing for months.

"It is no trouble at all. It would be my pleasure to offer you my _unconditional_ assistance." He smoothly interrupted.

The delayed final blow was undeniably sweet and rewarding. Hitsugaya congratulated himself in a job well done. This was just what he needed to soften her up to the idea of being exclusively his. He would twist this opportunity to his advantage to once-and-for-all; claim what was duly his. She could run but it was inevitable that Kuchiki Rukia would finally be his at the end of this journey. The finality of the couple's banter also seemed to have satisfied Yamamoto-genryusai for his aged features brightened significantly.

"Well, then! It is decided." The General exclaimed a little too chirpily for Rukia's liking. "As I am sure you are fully aware, Kuchiki-taichou, our dear Hitsugaya-taichou is most definately a young man who can be trusted. Rest assured you have _nothing_ to fear." For some reason or another, Rukia had a feeling that he was talking about a complete different matter. "I expect a full report from the both of you by next week; dismissed." _Why, why why?_ Wasn't being locked up in the tower scared shitlessly, mindlessly awaiting for an execution punishment enough? Now, she was to be stuck with a headstrong captain who was making her feel the most unexplainable emotions. Internally ranting and raving at her life in general, Rukia was going to dash and hide in her office in order to bang her head repetitively on her wooden desk in the hopes of getting a concussion; or even better, amnesia.

"Oh, before you go; almost forgot to mention that there is a young man who is currently dying to see you, Kuchiki-taichou."

Forget murder, this was going to be _mass_ murder.

Whoever this young man was, he could blame his misfortunes of 'bad timing'.

Because Rukia was going to initiate a swift killing session as soon as her temper gave way in.

But before she could flex her fingers to prepare the deadly attack, the petite captain found herself hesitating due to a rather **familiar **presence seeping into her overloaded system. The sound of someone landing on top of the window sill instantly alerted the intrusion of a tactless brute; someone who _still_ refused to use the door. And violet eyes stared in disbelief as they landed on the cocky stance of a particular brat with that trademark grin and unruly orange hair of his. _I amend my previous notions of self-pity_ Rukia declared adamantly. Amnesia didn't even _begin_ to cover her losses - a coma would be the most favourable option to date.

"Yo! Long time no see, short stuff." And all hell broke loose with those horrid yet familiar words.

Going on auto-pilot, the petite shinigami charged forth; sending the human teenager flying towards the closed door with one swift kick to the spine. She had to admit, it did make her feel somewhat better, watching him make a solid collision with the wooden structure. Ignoring his 'what the hells' and a few number of 'bitch' being thrown her way, Rukia dragged the young teenager unceremoniously towards her office. As the General [poorly] tried to conceal his chuckles behind a particularly long parchment, Hitsugaya casually exited after the screaming pair - going the complete opposite direction to the current ruckus echoing in the hall way - and leisurely headed to his own office to plan things through. Well..._that_ was indeed another unexpected twist.

The orange-haired brat was a bit of a wild card and Hitsugaya needed to regard him with a little more caution than the other potential hazardous bachelors who have their eyes set on the little butterfly.

That particular thought had Hitsugaya's smile shifting, slowly taking on an edge that had the unfortunate occupants roaming around the corridor frozen solid in petrification.

It seemed like he needed to up his game.

* * *

Nibbling on her already strained lips, Rukia stormed through the corridors of her division – a slightly more amused Ichigo closely trailing after her as he got to witness first hand the comical sight of many low-ranking shinigami diving out of her way. Despite her quickened pace and the firm grip on his arm, the orange-haired male had no problem keeping in stride. If the situation hadn't been so serious, he would have thrown his head back and laughed out loud like a maniac.

When Rukia had stated that people feared her, she sure hadn't been kidding! Even Byakuya hadn't elicited such reactions from his squadron members.

"Geeze, what did you do to them, woman? They're practically pissing in their pants!"

"I'll do a hell of a lot worse if _you_ don't shut it," she whispered darkly – her grip tightening ever so slightly. "...And its **Kuchiki-taichou**, you dolt!"

"Temper, temper," he grinned mischievously in response. "Nice scarf by the way." The violet-eyed shinigami hissed in response as she continued to pull the giant brute to the privacy of her office.

But as Ichigo glanced down at the petite woman, considerably smaller and shorter than most, he could not help but feel proud of all she had achieved in the period of time he had gotten to know her. _She'd put up with him, hadn't she?_ Sacrificing her own powers for the safety of a completely oblivious human boy, training and coaching him day and night, using that tiny closet as her bedroom (how the _fuck_ had she managed, he still wasn't too sure), and that final sacrifice... _That_ had the final straw for him to handle. To be under her watchful wings once more, lying helpless and injured that particular rainy day. To watch her willingly walk away towards her own execution for the sake of saving a lost confused boy...

But that pitiful boy was no more and since that day forth, Ichigo had sworn upon his very own soul to be strong for those who truly mattered.

And Rukia was an individual who undeniably mattered. But when the back of his head collided with a solid wall, he was forced to revaluate such beliefs.

Engaging in a quick cussing session, Ichigo glared accusingly at the other while rubbing a slight bump forming at the back of his battered skull. But when he came into full contact with those blazing eyes the orange-haired man could not help but gulp in fear. _Suddenly, this didn't seem like such a good idea_.

"What the heck were you thinking? No, no, don't even answer that," she was all that of fire and agitation. "You weren't thinking at all, were you?" Rukia angrily answered for him as she paced around her office. During such times, it would have been most favourable to stay completely still and lay low. Ichigo, however, never considered himself much of a strategist. He dived right in knowing all too well that his words would sooner or later blow up in his face.

"That's funny because _I_ seem to have more brain cells than _you_ to realise that you can't do this alone!"

Well that didn't come out as _nicely_ as he had hoped...

"Oh, I'll give you brain cells, you son-of-a-!" _Punch him! Punch him now!_ The unanimous chorus echoed in her mind.

Close to loosing her temper, Rukia abruptly pushed her black locks away from her face in sheer frustration. Clenching her eyes shut in a desperate attempt to diminish the murderous thoughts raging through her mind, the young shinigami let out a sigh as violet orbs rose to meet the determined brown ones. _She should have known_.

"What _were_ you thinking, you idiot, getting permission from Yamamoto-genryusai to stay in Seireitei for the next few weeks..."

"Look, like I said. I'm not gonna let you do this alone."

"That's not true! I've got Hitsu-" A potentially life-threatening declaraction came to an abrupt halt. Having to forcefully stop her big mouth from finishing that particular sentence, the raven haired beauty mentally berated herself for loosening her inhibition. Rukia looked almost mortified by the betrayal of her mind. Hadn't she confirmed to herself that he was only a friend? Since when had he become such a significant individual in her twisted life? A look of pure shock decorated the petite shinigami's expressions as her eyes widened significantly. _Please don't tell me I have developed some sort of a dependence on him?_ Firmly pursing her lips together in displeasure, a thoroughly stunned and pale looking captain forced herself to not topple over and faint in desperation. Now she understood why her brother kept an extensive cabinet solely dedicated to the holding of alcohol. What she would do for a drink right about now...

When the petite shinigami failed to respond, Ichigo took this as a sign of defeat – completely oblivious to the inner workings of his female companion.

"Your sister is close to her due date. I'm not gonna just sit back and wonder if everything will fall into place. I thought you would've finally gotten that through your thick skull," He lightly added with that trademark grin smirking down at her in a reassuring manner. But what he didn't know was that for the very first time, her best friend's encouraging smile did nothing of the sort. "I ain't letting you do this alone."

Forcing out a small smile for her companion, Rukia shook herself awake from the totally mind-numbing sensation she had cast upon herself. This was not the time nor the place to act like a total wuss or even worse; a total _girl_. There were more important matters to worry about and she was not going to get side-tracked like some amateur. She would not give Hitsugaya the satisfaction by allowing herself to be overwhelmed. Her totally unstable feminine emotions would just have to wait. There was an assassination waiting to be planned and executed.

"Look whose talking..." Her rigid smile widening to a much more familiar grin as Rukia retorted back with a quick punch to his upper arm. "Ready to do a little hunting like good old times, Ichigo?"

"Ha! Think you can still keep up, short stuff?"

Her smile widened, so dripping with saccharin sweetness that the other felt vaguely nauseous. _Good times indeed_... She was going to drive him around like a slave; he just knew it.

"I'll make you eat those words, bastard," and the orange-haired male knew for a fact that his companion wouldn't disappoint.

What had he gotten himself into?

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The coward could do nothing else but squeal like a pig before he choked on his blood and crumpled to the ground in a heap of mess.

The dimly lit room plunged into total silence as the fresh kill remained unmoving in the very center of the tatami-clad floor. The metallic smell of blood filled the entire atmosphere. "Sheesh, for a politician he sure died messy." The taller one of the two uttered out in annoyance as he wiped his blade using the fabric of his top.

"And he's relatively young as far as elders come. Imagine how the ancient ones will take the good old sword-to-the-throat tactic." The other drily retorted as she passed him her bloodied weapon for maintenance. _One down, nine more to go. _As Rukia began inspecting the room for useful information, Ichigo rounded to the back to signal Yuki to come in and dispose of the body. The kid looked to be about his youngest sister's age but was already working in the so-called network. Apparently he was a wiz-kid when it came to hiding bodies. Not the type of talent you really wanted to be born with... Flashing out a toothy grin, Yuki passed Ichigo several containers that seemed to be holding powders of some sort.

"To get the blood off the floor. It's a good thing this guy didn't have any spiritual powers," the young boy chatted enthusiastically as he worked his way through the body. "Getting rid of traces of reiatsu is a little more tricky."

And true to his resume, they were done in a matter of seconds.

As silent as the night, both individuals watched the young boy disappear into the darkness accompanied by an older member who had the tightly wrapped body slung over his shoulders.

Despite how quickly and smoothly the mission had went, Rukia felt completely drained by the ordeal. There was a huge difference between a battle and an assassination and it would take at least a few days to get used to the whole idea of killing their enemies from behind. At least she didn't have to do this alone. With an encouraging pat on the young man's back Rukia was about to call it a night by sending her human friend to the guest room when the raven-haired shinigami felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand.

Even as both her and her companion swiftly turned to meet the enemy head-on, a familiar sword was placed strategically on face-level of the intruder; deliberately pressed against the side of Ichigo's neck.

"Hitsugaya," the orange-haired teenager spat out. Obviously, being caught off guard had fuelled a nasty temper.

"Looks like you're still weak in your backside, Kurosaki." Teal eyes lazily stared back; both men glaring at each other - Ichigo still not used to the idea of his opponent being as tall as him. The ice controller still refused to release his blade from its deadly position. "It will do you some good to remedy that problem as soon as possible."

Now, Ichigo was no vocabulary expert nor was he an eloquent speaker, but he knew a challenge when he was presented with one. It was one of those universal male thing and the orange-haired teenager was pretty sure, dead or alive; the code of conduct still applied in the Spirit World just as profoundly as it does in the Human realm. But before he could confront the smug looking bastard by introducing him to his fist, the hostess promptly interrupted the heated stare contest by barging in between the two of them.

"What are you doing here, Hitsugaya?" She exclaimed.

But as soon as those words escaped her lips, Rukia instantly regretted her decision on putting a stop to their pissing contest.

His undivided attention came to be fixated on the petite woman in the formation of blazing teal eyes that were regarding her in the most sinuous manner. At least that finally resulted upon the removal of the sharpened weapon away from her friend's throat but the way he was dropping his gaze and deliberately taking in her appearance... She was getting the feeling that he was most _displeased _for not being informed of their 'midnight stroll'. But she refused to be intimidated. Besides, his assistance hadn't been necessary tonight and she would not be driven to that of guilt by those pretty green eyes of his!

Refusing to believe the butterflies in her stomach being anything other than adrenaline, Rukia was about to suggest that everyone discharge for the night until she felt the familiar heat of his body.

"Why, to protect what is mine, of course."

His calloused hands wrapped themselves firmly around her slim waist as she was manuevered deeper into his embrace.

"And I must warn the both of you, that **I. don't. share.**"


	4. Drinking Contest

**Chapter 4: Drinking Contest**

Violet eyes glinted dangerously from the abandoned corner.

One flimsy candle lit the extravagant room amidst the darkness of the night, casting a halo upon the useless clutters of expenditure.

Never making a sound, she drew Shirayuki from the confines of the leather-bound casing.

Delicately tracing the full length of her katana – from the roughened hilt to the very tip of the sharpened edge – the young woman crept forth; purposely making sure her movements stirred uneasiness in the atmosphere. The target would have detected her by now. **Perfect**. Let him hear the steps that will lead him to death and beyond.

"You are late, young one." A frail whisper and a shaky inhale followed by an even shakier exhale commenced from a completely worn body. Time had been most cruel, turning him into a shell of a man that feared to be detached from his worldly desires. "I was wondering when you would finally come for me." _His angel of death_…

"…You were such a fierce fighter; even as an infant." He was still presenting his unprotected back – gone was the broad muscular structure only to be replaced by a frail spine draped in outstretched skin.

Scrapping the blade against the tatami floor in painstaking slowness, Rukia took one calculated step after another – swearing upon her very honour that violet would be the _last_ and the **only** thing the accused would gaze into before his demise.

"The day your sister was brought into the household – hired as a servant – was when I first laid my eyes on you." The old man continued absent-mindedly. His voice taking upon a tone of deep contemplation as his mind trailed off into times of the unreachable past. "You were wrapped in a filthy blanket; sound asleep as you lay cradled in her arms. You had such a firm grip…" Indeed, when the raven-haired heiress made the full circulation; she came to witness the dilation of aged pupils as they stared hauntingly into nothingness. They moved from side to side, frantically searching for invisible enemies risen from the dead. But the sudden crescendo came to a full halt as the half-crazed stare finally landed upon the ethereal creature who stood firm before him.

"I should have realised then and there, that you were going to be a nuisance."

His eyes bore accusingly into her own as he spat out his next statement in bitterness and regret.

"…The very first time I tried to kill you had been when Byakuya-sama started showing interest in that…_whore_." Never to give him the satisfaction, Rukia remained unresponsive. But her eyes visibly darkened as they gradually began stirring into a violent storm.

The deadly warning was, however, foolishly unheeded.

"Such a shame that despicable street friend of yours interfered," blood-shot eyes turned wild as trembling wrinkled hands ascended – failing miserably to grasp the very heavens above – the long bone structures almost ripping out of its very own skin as they curled into a claw-like formation. "I would have immensely enjoyed watching you _choke_ to death by these hands of mine." This meaningless conversation appeared to have prolonged for too long.

"…And how ironic that I am now the heiress of your _precious_ clan and that 'street friend' of mine is now a lieutenant." Her lips twisted to that of a smirk as they regarded him in anything but pity.

"**Insolence**! Such selfishness!" The ancient one croaked out in indignation, his frail hands banging uselessly against the floor as they failed to create the desired effect. "Our long line of ancestors will never rest in peace because of the both of you!"

"…No need to fret, old man." Her grip tightened ever so slightly as the blade elevated off the ground in a hypnotic sequence.

The execution had finally begun.

"After all, you will be joining them very, _very_ soon."

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"I'm straining in places I never even knew I had."

Three low-ranking shinigami of the 6th division trudged along – exhaustion painted across their features; similarly evident in the uneven propelling of their limbs.

"Man, that was one heck of a training session." The smallest of the three sighed – the training had yet again, highlighted the blatant power differentiation between squadron members and their squadron captain. The woman was indeed powerful – there was no doubt about that. But what made the experience even more extreme was the fact that such power was usually accompanied by brilliant strategies and cunning calculations that made most feel like awkward brutes. "…I _definitely_ see the family resemblance."

"Come off it, the woman was absolutely brutal!" A much bulkier member screamed out in utter frustration. "A flick of a finger and half of the squadron members get toasted!"

"And worst yet, she didn't even break a sweat…"

"Now I see why Takashi always complains about being under Soi-Fong taichou. Getting beaten senselessly by a woman on a daily basis isn't gonna be beneficial on the long run."

Vigorously nodding at that final comment, the three males were about to prolong their pity party with further whining sessions when with a swish of the outer robe, followed by the fluttering of a long green scarf; emerged the said captain. Unforgiving violet eyes – rumored to have not shed a single tear even with the death of her brother – overwhelmed the occupants with its intensity as they scrambled to straighten and bow to their squadron leader as she swiftly approached their way. Never sparing them a glance, the heiress – clouded by that of infinite mystery – was gone with a couple of confident strides down the hallway. The three simultaneously let out the breaths they were holding as the abrupt confrontation ended with no casualties. The rigid forms relaxed instantly as relief visibly crept into their features. With the calming of their nerves, their tongues loosened once again as the gossiping continued. But their line of topic moved onto a more scandalous one as they commenced with their journey down the corridor.

"…I heard there was another disappearance in the Kuchiki household." One of them cautiously began.

"No sign of struggle, no blood, no nothing; simply…_gone_ without a trace."

"It's the third one this month." The oblivious soul reaper exclaimed.

"So let me get this straight." The speculation uncontrollably escalated. "Our taichou starts a series of murder within the clan _after_ killing off her own brother-in-law?"

It was the blind effectively leading the blind.

"I think she is dishing out revenge for her sister's death. I've heard the clan poisoned her."

"Really? I've always thought she committed suicide."

"…It's a pretty fucked up world we're living in, my friends."

"We are, indeed!" A high pitched voice agreed vigorously; an unexpected addition to the private conversation at hand. "Aren't we, Sentaro?" The young woman's shrills bounced off the walls as none other than the hyperactive Kiyone sent the speculating group into a frenzy of panic. Despite the easy-going grin adorning her features, her eyes told a complete different tale as they brightened in a menacing manner. There was a simultaneous gulp as three frightened squadron members regarded her wearily. But fright turned to absolute petrification as a gruff voice intercepted from behind – radiating in obvious displeasure.

"We certainly are; considering how there appears to be _three_ shinigami not yet back at their stations, gossiping like a couple of teenage _girls_ in the middle of the corridor when training would have _finished_ at least half an hour ago."

Both 3rd Seat officers of the 13th division rounded up the culprits like predators stalking their prey, toying with them and evidently enjoying every second of it. The identical pair of smiles reeked of sadistic intentions. It was no secret that the infamous pair was fiercely competitive but once they danced to the same beat – an extremely rare and scarce occurrence at that – there was no stopping them. And defending their former squadron member was reason enough. "Do you know what I think, Kiyone?" The deadly game had finally begun.

"I have a fairly good idea but why don't you tell us?" His partner in crime eagerly played along – the obvious calm before the storm.

"It seems like we have a couple of slackers sticking their noses where they don't belong."

Fear was starting to grapple the three shinigamis' state of minds as the overwhelming presence of the pair rendered them immobile. _Death would be a blessing in disguise_.

"How so very true!" The high-pitched tone squealed in affirmation, clasping her hands together in excitement. But as soon as her hands came into a firm contact, her expression turned downright scary as they twisted to accommodate her true intentions. The transformation seemed almost surreal. "…But what a pity, considering how I absolutely **detest** slackers that give a bad name to their division."

"And to their division captain." Sentaro added while fingering the katana hanging loosely on his side.

But Kiyone was one step ahead of him as she uncovered the reflective blade with every intention of torturing the _imbeciles_ to her heart's content – and it was going to be of a _long_ duration.

"Well, it's settled. We are simply going to have to teach them a lesson." Her voice took upon a much sultry tone.

Knowing her all too well, the strong-built reaper offered his companion the honour of initiating the very first strike; bowing dramatically as he fowarded an offering gesture.

"After you, my good friend."

"Why, thank you! Don't mind if I do."

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

A distant trail of screams alerted the raven-haired captain.

Seething at the interruption that pulled her away from a particularly complicated report, the Kuchiki heiress frowned at the mysterious faint echo. It was so out of context that the perplexed woman automatically assumed she had imagined it.

"Ah, good morning Rukia-taichou!"

…But as soon as violet orbs focused on an all too familiar individual – who she knew all too well – Rukia had a nasty suspicion that the sickly man had been engaging upon his mischievous ways yet again.

"I apologise for my tardiness," the 13th division captain continued with his usual carefree expression. "But certain…**matters** came to my attention on my way over. Unfortunately, it proved to be a great distraction." _Yep, it was definitely his doing_ – whatever he had done. After all, Ukitake Jushiro, her former squadron leader, was still a young boy at heart. "But have no fear, my dear. I have sent Kiyone and Sentaro to take care of it." _Great, the legendary combo were in on it as well_.

Narrowed eyes regarded him in skepticism as the occupant with long white hair – prevailed by that of illness – gazed back with exaggerated twinkling innocence.

"And here are the documents you have asked for." He quickly changed the subject. Smart man.

With a sigh of finality, the petite captain allowed the issue to slide, at least for now, for he would never admit to his deeds. Besides, if it did involve any of her squadron members she would learn of the incident through a disciplinary report, therefore, it was no loss on her part. Accepting the substantive bundle of documents, violet eyes quickly scanned through the various paragraphs; filtering out the mindless chatter initiated by her former squadron captain – who looked much too harmless for a man of his caliber and status. _Some things will never change_.

The endless tirade of gossip, however, came to an abrupt halt as a familiar reiatsu interrupted the mostly one-sided conversation.

"You're officers are causing a ruckus _again_, Jushiro." With eyebrows raised elegantly, the smooth voice warned of caution as the tall, lean figure perched near the doorway announced his presence. "I mean it. Control that pair of yours."

Teal eyes regarded them in amusement.

"Oh, come off it, Shiro-chan! They're completely harmless." Rukia could do nothing else but snort at _that_ particular comment.

And almost instantly, the intense gaze came to be fixated upon her profile - coupled with that unnerving feral grin of his.

If it had been a few days ago, her immediate reaction would have been that of absolute internal panic. Nevertheless, considering what happened her _own_ house, in the middle of the night, in front of her hot-headed best friend; Kuchiki Rukia was past caring. Of all the unexplainable things he had done, this had topped it all. The uncalled for, _inaccurate_, presumptuous declaration by that **egoistic**, _self-absorbed_, one unbelievably good-looking pig of a man; had been inevitably greeted by a thoroughly **pissed** off respondent. And Rukia made sure he learned of her displeasures.

...By dishing out a colourful and impressive vocabulary list in conjunction with a screaming tantrum, of course. Who the hell did he think he was? Claiming that she belonged to him like some sort of property? But when that _son-of-a-bitch_ merely smirked that sexy grin of his and leisurely pecked her on the cheek as retaliation; the furious woman had been on the verge of initiating all three of her deadly dances. With the intention of breaking every single bone of his body, the unstoppable soul reaper would indeed have done so until another pair of hands, belonging to none other than an uncharacteristically silent human, yanked her away like a lifeless doll.

Instead of howling profanities and swearing revenge, as Ichigo was innately programmed to do so in such circumstances, the orange-haired teenager merely guarded her in his arms - simply opting to pull out his gigantic Zanpakuto in his defense. Naturally, such a cautious act was nothing out of the ordinary considering how protective the human was over his friends. But it had been the firm line tightly drawn across his features that had both surprised and confused the violet-eyed shinigami. Rukia knew for a fact that Ichigo only reserved _that_ particular look before an upcoming battle. And upon closer examination, an unreadable light had also entered into his brown eyes; a revelation of some sort. Something had definately occurred between the two competitive men. But despite being nestled in a familiar embrace, the disoriented raven-haired beauty could not help but frown at the sudden loss of heat.

Not wanting to admit to the deprivation of an acquired warmth; her overall annoyance over the situation intensified.

Rukia had been utterly peeved at both herself as well as those smug looking jade eyes.

And besides, being passed around from one person to another like some helpless damsel in distress was not particularly enjoyable - not at the very least.

Not appreciating being discarded like some insignificant piece of meat, the furious Kuchiki female had kicked the lot of them out of the household with a few quick slashings of her blade. In the spur of the moment, she had even temporarily banned the both of them from participating in the assassination - allowing her anger to radiate through. The violet-eyed woman had no idea what was stuck up _both_ their asses but using her as an excuse for an outlet of confrontation and conflict was unacceptable. _Simply unforgivable_.

They would definately require a few groveling sessions before she even **considered** giving them the time of her day.

Hopefully, that would be enough to teach those thick-headed masochists.

And it had been close to two weeks since she had last seen the unpredictable ice-yielder. _But whether he learned his lesson_...

"Well, I must be off." The sudden interruption abruptly halted her next line of thoughts. Widened violet orbs followed after the retreating figure of her former commander as he enthusiastically bounced off towards the exit - internally grateful for his soothing words. "I'm in no hurry with those documents so take your time, Rukia-taichou. I'll see you both at the captain's meeting!"

His voice echoed; continually persistent to the very end. "Oh! Don't forget about the Summer Festival next week!"

Shaking her head at his usual antics, the raven-haired captain swiftly resumed with the additional task of going through even more paper work - quite prepared to ignore the unexpected visitor.

At least Ichigo had, much to her relief, switched back to his usual loud cocky self the very next day, perched on her window sill in the early hours of the morning with that goofy looking grin, holding up an adorable plushie as a sign of apology. But despite the two weeks of being 'apart' the stoic squadron captain of the 10th division had been a whole different story.

Instead of repenting for his sins, screaming out for forgiveness; she had instead been receiving little trinkets.

Similarly to that of the plushie, it could have been viewed upon as a sincere attempt of an apology. But a nasty feeling had her concluding otherwise. They were just simple little things; seemingly insignificant and yet, extremely meaningful. Rukia would have never supposed that a single daisy lying delicately on top of her desk would have her grinning uncontrollably for the entire afternoon. Perhaps simplicity did truly speak volumes. It had been an equisite silk ribbon the next fateful day and a box of delicious _high-quality_ dango the day after next, and so forth. And very soon, these little gifts came to be part of her daily routine - a ray of hope in her elaborate labyrinth of duties, reports, training, and assassinations.

But through that of acceptance, it meant she was also slowly but surely; acknowledging _him_. Even an imbecile would have known that these daily surprises amplified his so-called 'claim' over her. And Rukia may have been inexperienced in these areas but she was most certainly not demented. It also did not help that he had barked out the final declaration with that high-handed, _know-it-all_ approach of his.

_Why, to protect what is mine, of course and **I. don't. share**_**.**

How those words have haunted her since that eventful evening. And the fact that such a controversial claim was stated as if it was the most valid and plausible argument; did not sit well with the extremely agitated Kuchiki heiress. Naturally, she had tried to manipulate her brain to think otherwise but in the depth of her heart the gaping truth remained hanging, and like it or not; Hitsugaya Toshiro was interested in her...and as much as it hurt to admit, she was interested in him. Fingernails tapped impatiently against the solid surface, violet eyes looking away in dismay. Suddenly the office was a little too stuffy for her taste. And they say acceptance is the first step to recovery...

With the sudden rise of discomfort with the internal declaration, the violet-eyed captain _casually_ moved away from her desk to file the newly obtained documents in a bid to compose herself. Desperate to stay as far away from the intense gaze of mesmerising jade eyes. But alas, Rukia should have known better than to show her back towards him because as soon as she stepped away from the wooden shelf; a deliciously sleek and firm chest was all that she came to be nestled upon.

Through sheer will power, the surprised woman just barely refrained from yelping unceremoniously at the unexpected contact.

Spinning on her heels, Rukia was about to create a substantive distance; quite prepared to happily collide head-on with the filing cabinet in hopes of dodging those strong capable hands.

Unfortunately, Hitsugaya was quicker; pulling the petite woman in one clean swipe, preventing a painful episode of self-mutilation.

And amidst all the stacks of paper reports, two warm bodies stood resting against one another. Uneased by the magnetic proximity and the frantic hammering of her heart, Rukia could do nothing else but bury her face deeper into his chest in embarrassment - her cheeks flustered impeccably. His skillful strokes down the length of her back were making it difficult for her as they loosened tense muscles; assisting her to instinctively relax in ways that no one had ever achieved before.

"Good morning, Rukia." Hitsugaya finally spoke; his deep voice stirring a sense of longing. "I trust you have been well?"

It sent an instant jolt down the back of her spine, surprising the raven-haired captain as to how much she had missed his voice...and _him_.

With a primal smirk in place, the stunned woman was inevitably drawn further into his arms while the taller male bent to accomodate their difference in height – his forehead leaning lightly against her own; never once breaking eye contact.

Rukia gingerly peeked through thick lashes; flushing immediately at the heated look. But violet orbs narrowed decisively as determination caressed her flawless features in a blink of an eye. Never the one to disappoint, hesitation dissipated and the said woman rose up to the challenge. Evident was the initiation of her prideful nature, the equally stubborn soul reaper quite prepared to make this difficult as possible for him.

"After getting rid of a couple of immature **rats** a few weeks ago, I've been doing _spendidly_." She gritted out through clenched teeth, almost snarling in the process; contemplating whether or not to beat him senselessly with her table.

...And the bastard just had to throw his head back and _laugh_ at the comment - a full and filling sound that almost made her heart stop.

But just as Rukia was getting her head around the fact that the emotionless Ice Dragon had openly displayed a genuine sign of - _dare say_ - happiness; came the almost wicked turn of his mouth.

"Don't tempt me, little one," the breath of a warning was definate; whispered in a husky tone.

All the while, one of his calloused hand smothering a lose raven lock delicately behind her ear.

"At least, not yet."

Giving one last attempt at a glare, the petite captain sighed and relented; very much used to his _assertive_ ways of getting what he wanted. Instead, for the first time since their dysfunctional encounter and acquaintance, Rukia opted for trusting _her_ decision to trust him. As the rigid frame of the beautiful shinigami voluntarily relaxed, she could almost feel his chest vibrate in satisfaction - obviously pleased he had gotten his way in the end. It was a truce, at least for now.

There were still a lot of things that Hitsugaya needed to persuade his little butterfly into accepting; but it was a vital step nonetheless. Besides, it was of no consequence on his part whether she did so in haste or in her own moderate pace. Kuchiki Rukia would be his in the end and no one was going to stop that. Very much pleased with the progression, a gleam of satisfaction was detectable from smug-looking teal eyes as they gazed down upon his object of affections. With a bit of care, Hitsugaya had no doubt he would be generously rewarded once she learned to completely drop her guard down around him.

He could afford to be patient.

"What are your plans for the afternoon?" The normality of the question was a pleasant surprise indeed and after a few seconds of deliberation, a less suspicious Rukia answered - satisfied there were no side traps or hidden meanings behind those seven innocent words.

"...I'll need to have a quick training session with Renji. The lieutenant performance reviews are out."

"Good," the powerful male leant down towards her, brushing his lips softly against her left cheek. The gentleness of his action momentarily rendering her incapable of speech or movement.

The completely stumped look on her face must have amused the white-haired captain; for his gleeful grin widened slightly as he pulled back.

"I'm going to need to borrow that monkey friend of yours for the rest of the day."

* * *

The hot pot containing various types of oden was simmering in the center of the table.

The fact that they were having a winter dish in the middle of summer should have been warning enough.

With decisive precision and accuracy, the bamboo skewer pierced mercilessly into a beef meatball. The nervous teenager feverishly tried to remind himself that the purpose of such an act was to check whether the meat was cooked through. But when the stoic eyes belonging to none other than Kuchiki Byakuya glinted dangerously at the vicinity of where the guests were currently situated, Ichigo could not help but gulp in fear. Besides, judging by the way Byakuya was continually stabbing into the meatball, butchering the poor thing until it was no longer identifiable; the human boy was certain the objective no longer had _anything_ to do with sanitary reasons. If the over-protective bastard moved onto dissecting the boiled eggs, Ichigo was fairly certain he would start breaking out into cold sweats.

"Anata, no need to murder the meatball; it's all ready to be eaten." The sweet gentle voice rang out melodiously. So this is what angels looked like!

The orange-haired teenager would have hugged the woman for her god-sent intuition in terms of timing but he had the nastiest feeling that such a platonic expression of gratitude would be regarded as another deadly threat to the stuck-up asshole.

Refraining from digging himself deeper into the gaping hole; the human substitute tried to remain scarce.

But as he observed the warm interaction between the expecting couple, Ichigo could not help but openly gape at the astonishing similarities between the sisters. They could practically pose as identical twins.

…Nevertheless, despite the physical resemblance, the determination, the irresistible charm coupled with a bit of sass, as well as that inner flame; appeared to be missing from the older woman. She was most undeniably kind and caring – evidently wise beyond her years – but she just wasn't Rukia. In actual fact, Ichigo didn't think anyone could really be or ever replace that violent headstrong girl. She was simply unique that way. And he had always known due to such qualities, the woman would be quite the **men**-magnet. But out of all the testosterone driven soul reapers roaming in the Spirit Realm, he hadn't expected Hitsugaya Toshiro – _the_ epitome of a human ice block – to be the first to publicly claim her. Seething in suppressed fury, the human's features visibly darkened as they sent a full blown glare towards the uncaring occupant placed directly next to him.

Unknown to the young teenager, his antics and the uneasy dynamic between the two were critically noted by a particularly interested party.

With an unreadable smile tugging at her lips, as if she had read the fuming teenager's thoughts, Hisana promptly offered her hospitality once again. "Oh, please dig in! I'm sure both of you boys are starving."

"Thank you, Hisana-san." Hitsugaya replied courteously. "Everything looks delicious."

Ichigo hastily muttered out a complementary of his own before nervously picking up his bowl.

_That smooth talking bastard!_

Satisfied all three full-grown males were putting good use of their stomach, the hostess arose gracefully - taking into consideration her condition - and slolwy made her way out of the dining area.

"Right, I'll leave you boys to it." The gentle voice announced; the next sequence, however, uttered in a mixture of firm caution and amusement. "You be good now, anata."

The dutiful obedience of a husband, however, vanished just as the doors gave a firm click and Byakuya was as he ever was - allusive and straight to the point.

"I want an update – **now**." Dark eyes narrowed; promising intense pain for those who failed to heed his command.

"Rukia has already taken care of the three founding elders." Hitsugaya was equally blunt, calculating teal eyes hardening in response; not at all deterred by the amiable force of an over-protective older brother. "The rest are, however, starting to catch on." As both opponents rallied back and forth, never once missing a beat; Ichigo could do nothing else but watch the relentless wrestling match. "We'll need to be quite discrete for the next few rounds."

"Both of you left Rukia to do this on her own?" A dissatisfied frown warped and twisted the normally calm Kuchiki heir.

The final conclusion from the deadly ice-controller was definately unqualified for Byakuya's standards.

However, the threatening aura did not seem to deter the white-haired male as he uncaringly lifted the warm green tea. But anyone could see the swift rotating and revolving of the gears in his sharp mind.

"Not to begin with, I assure you." Purposely taking a long sip, the Ice Dragon took his time; blatantly enjoying the impatience of those surrounding him. But with the descending of the tea cup, lowered jade eyes flew open instantly with the undisguised truth. "She kicked us out when I simply stated she was mine."

And that was when Ichigo promptly choked on a piece of deep fried tofu.

But it was the distinctive sound of glass breaking in Byakuya's bare hands that branded the entire area. The deafening echo matching the escalated dread and tension. Ichigo **dared** to not even glance at _that_ particular vicinity of the room. But flabbergasted and not thinking clearly - not to mention coughing uncontrollably - the hot-headed teenager did what he did best; get angry and violent.

"W-What the...what the _hell_, you freaking bastard!" Ichigo screamed for all his worth.

"I wasn't aware you had selective memory loss, Kurosaki." Hitsugaya spoke in that infuriating calmness but each word marked the deadly precision of an _obsessive_ determination.

"Because I am fairly certain you were there when I staked my claim."

His smile was showing too much teeth; like the triumphant stance of a predator right before setting of the trap and Ichigo could do nothing else but witness the unfolding of the brilliant mind of a prodigy. The blazing reiatsu in the background was ready to explode any second. _It was every man for himself_.

"...And taking into account your lack of input in the matter," the luring of the trap was being initiated. _The sadistic bastard_. "Am I to understand that you have no interest in pursuing Rukia?"

"Yes! I mean...No! She's **Rukia**! That is...she's, _I'm_-" Hitsugaya easily interrupted the stuttering human.

"Hence, you have no objections of her belonging to me."

It was the final push and as predicted, it effortlessly toppled the impatient teenager over the edge; his unhibited temper bombarding the atmosphere. "I'm not gonna let a little _fucker_ like you take Rukia away from _me_!" And total _silence_.

Ichigo could practically hear the the trap click shut as the effect of his words finally began to seep in. Colour drained from his face as he hastily reached for his tea cup.

"...We'll see, Kurosaki. We'll see." The bastard looked all too pleased with himself. _That little piece of shit_...

But amidst the heated battle, Ichigo had promptly forgotten about the other dangerous threat situated directly opposite him. Brown eyes widened as they came into direct contact with **murderous** raven ones. _Fucking hell_...

"…Hisana! Get _all_ of the sake bottles stashed at the back!"

And Ichigo spewed out most of the tea he had been planning to swallow.


	5. The Festive Season

**Chapter 5: The Festive Season**

"Enter."

An elderly male with sturdy shoulders and deep brown eyes stepped into the freezing cold atmosphere.

Never once deterred by the frozen ice adorning the wooden floor boards, he confidently stepped into the spacious dojo situated in the northern wing of the Kuchiki household. In actual fact, the unnaturally low temperature seemed to brighten his aged complexion, awakening the dormant spirit hidden deep within the hundred-or-so years of existence. His already powerful structure straightened even further as he breathed in the clean fresh air.

Yes…the countless years of oppression were slowly beginning to dissipate.

He could practically feel the unbearable torment dissolve away like the morning mist.

Being the type who continually analysed, just as he had always done during his years as a soldier, a division captain, a mentor, and council; the old Mortimer could do nothing else but continue to admire the innate force of the ethereal creature situated in the very center. Streaks of grey hair – once unruly raven locks – were strategically divided into three separate sections plaited from the very top to the very end that just nearly brushed against his ankles. They whipped against the ruthless air particles of the oncoming torrential wind. It sliced against his roughened cheeks as they reddened at the frostiness. _Such power_…

"My lady," with a gallant bow that swept the sleeves of his upper robe lightly against the reflective surface, the faithful advisor of many years stepped into the forbidden abyss.

With practiced ease and innate grace, the Kuchiki heiress – still dressed in her sleeping attire, a specialized silk kimono perfected to simplistic elegance – evaporated the entire arena of ice withdrawing her bankai. In a blink of an eye, sunlight once again invaded the personal training arena; making it impossible to ascertain the mountains of ice that had not a second ago filled the entire perimeter. The dusts of ice particles that had clung and sparkled, slid away to reveal porcelain like skin.

"Tama, my good friend," an unsettling smile adorned her features as guarded violet orbs narrowed in relaxed contemplation. "How have you been doing, old man?"

The message was clear; _these walls have ears __**everywhere**_.

"As well as any old man would be doing nowadays, my lady."

With an equally concealed nod, the significantly taller of the two slowly crouched to place a gentle kiss on the edge of her robe – a sign of formality towards a noble.

"…You're bored out of your wits, I see," witnessing the familiar sparkle in her violet orbs as he gently arose from his crouched position. The mentor of many years could not help but smile wistfully like a father watching his only daughter get married down the aisle. She was and would forever be his lady – the little princess who had smiled a toothy grin and promptly ripped patches of his unmanageably long hair as an infant. That had been their unforgettable introduction. And ever since, he watched over her; his mistress, his lady, his surrogate daughter.

With pride and happiness, Tama participated in Rukia's first step, her picnics near the pond, the widening of innocent violet orbs at the sight of cherry blossoms and her giggles whenever anyone weaved intricate flower crowns on her raven locks. With time, he had helped her sneak out in the middle of the night to see the bustling streets and market places while correcting her sword stances during the day.

He watched her learn to hold her tongue, lower her gaze and bow in silenced respect.

But away from accusing glares, he had been the fortunate few who had been given the rare opportunity to witness a strong-willed woman who fought for what she believed in; who constantly battled for her loved ones and who, most importantly, clawed her way through hardship and laughed upfront at her antagonists.

"And you are just as sharp as the last time I saw you." He gently chided, nudging away his muscled shoulders revealing deadly twin blades clasped across his back.

With an amused shake of the head, Rukia elevated Shirayuki as her petite body accompanied to equivocate the initiating position. "Come, spar with me for old times sake." Soon after the silent command, thick ice claws encaged both occupants, Rukia's bankai drawing forth landscapes of elemental entirety as the training arena came to be locked away from the outer world by the unmoving ice. The thick shards of frozen barriers formed the protective radius; enough to block out prying eyes and menacing ears.

Only when their blades made contact did they finally loosen caution.

"Rukia, I have been hearing…rumors." Swiftly evading rainfalls of ice, identical weapons shot forth in retaliation as electric currents crept towards the very tip of the blades.

Powerful lightening strikes of amiable force charged towards his opponent head on.

"You were never the type to get deterred by mindless gossip. I see someone's judgment is becoming skewed with age." Rukia lightly taunted, all the while twisting her upper body to initiate a powerful wave.

"I'm being serious, little one. The elders are crafty bastards. I would know since I was one." The explosion shook to the very core, creating trembling sensations throughout Seireitei. "Both you and Byakuya should have come instantly for my assistance. It is dangerous grounds you are treading on." Swinging away to evade the rippling effect, Tama looked down upon his sparing partner in midair as he began lecturing away – just as he had done when his mistress had barely reached his knee caps.

A quick blur and the raven-haired swordswoman shot up through the air to lessen the gap, both at a deadlock as blades pushed against one another.

Violet orbs challenged brown ones. "Nii-sama was always the daredevil at heart. You were his mentor, after all." With a playful wink, Rukia countered just as easily. But in an instant, her voice dropped a pitch as she cautiously questioned her concerned tutor.

"…I take it you've met Nii-sama?"

"Yes, and your sister as well; I have given them my congratulations. She is most likely to conceive in less than two months."

Satisfied with his response, Rukia released her hold and the two opposing forces landed gracefully upon the icy terrain as they sheathed away their respectable weapons in mutual agreement. The immediate barrier shattered around them as both individuals came to a mutual agreement; the interior liquefying away like an ice cube amidst a quenching desert.

And just like that, the young woman adorned the most brilliant smile that took away his breath. "I am glad you have come." Softened violet orbs bore into dazed brown ones as the gentle curve of her lips lightened her already stunning features; portraying the full blossoming of youth in all its glory.

"I am always at your service." Tama could do nothing else but helplessly fall on his knees as he choked out an automatic response before such a magnificent being – a fallen angel; the goddess of mercy.

"I knew you'd come out of retirement with all this excitement."

With a teasing tone, Rukia instantly helped the old man back up on his feet; never being the one to enjoy unnecessary formalities.

"You're first orders, my lady?" Perhaps it was the half-amused glance or the careless habit of tossing back raven locks, but they, nevertheless, warned the former-council of the utter chaos _and_ havoc that would follow soon after. And true to his instincts, the fiery woman did not disappoint.

"…Make sure we have ten memorial stones carved and ready to go. Those imbeciles _will_ be disposed of by the time I become an aunt."

It took a full minute before the words finally seeped in. And instantly, he could feel the corner of his lips threatening to break out into a gigantic smile

"Rukia-sama, breakfast is ready." The muffled voice and the rattling sound of paper doors – still frozen to the side walls – alerted both occupants to ease their masks back into place. But with a much lightened aura, the former student regarded her life tutor with an eyebrow arched in an elegant manner.

"Shall we?"

"After you, my lady,"

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

No one made miso soup like the experienced cooks of the Kuchiki clan.

Accustomed mostly to portioned rations and scavenged meals during his time away, Tama relished in the intake of finely prepared delicacies in decades.

The fragrance of lilies drifted from the flower garden – filtering the room with soothing sensations – while the bustling sound of servants making preparations for the morning routines filled the entire household. But despite the serious incidents involving the disappearance of three elders, the Kuchiki clan seemed more vibrant than ever before. It seemed staff and servants had always known; had always been aware of the ongoing battles between family heads and the greedy elders. They were most likely to have caught on with the grand scheme of things since the very beginning of this contest that stretched way back to the era of Byakuya's grandsir. It was obvious who they rooted for, as indicated by their appreciative gaze, impeccable service and respectable mannerism towards the petite heiress.

"This was found just outside your bedroom window, my lady." A voice interrupted their meal.

Eying the package in genuine curiosity, Tama watched the male servant politely excused himself while their mistress seemed reluctant to even _touch_ the foreign object as it lay innocently on top of the dining table. Swallowing down the feeling of dread – mindlessly chanting that _he_ always left trinkets at her office, **not** outside her bedroom windows – Rukia hesitantly opened the colourful pouch and promptly gasped at the exquisite object that lay cushioned amidst milky wrapping paper.

It was a fan – simple yet elegantly crafted. The threaded material was held together by thin straps of bamboo – specifically designed for festivities and such. And it would be _perfect_ for the Summer Festival. The soothing lavender tone would suit her kimono most advantageously. Marveling at the craftsmanship, the engrossed female lightly traced the patterned wooden handle. But as soon as she turned it over, the intricately woven image of a dragon majestically laid in full sight.

And it mocked the Kuchiki heiress in every possible way.

…She was going to _kill_ **him**.

"A secret admirer, I see," Tama commented in a backhanded manner as he reached for the egg rolls with his chopsticks.

"I'm sure it's nothing of the sort." Rukia muttered as she uncaringly released the fan back into the confines of the silk pouch and tightened the knot with more force than necessary.

"…" The sharp elder was not at all convinced. A handmade fan of such high quality was difficult to come by, after all.

Quickly forming a number of symbolic meanings that revolved around the legendary creature of water worshiped for their benevolence and mysticism, Tama could do nothing else but conclude that this 'admirer' was either extremely territorial or powerful; even worse, a combination of both. Somehow, Tama had the nastiest feeling that Byakuya's urgency to send someone 'trustworthy' to his precious adoptive sister's rescue seemed to be in relation to this...'mystery dragon'. The older heir had been in an absolute fowl mood when the said council had dropped by not a day past. Suddenly, Hisana whispering in his ear regarding _dangerous_ 'male' populations of Seireitei, 'sake bottles' and his innocent baby sister seemed to make more sense.

"…Byakuya is going to have a field day with this one," the former-elder whispered to himself, knowing all too well that the over-protective other would indeed be in the process of plotting an excruciatingly diabolical, **merciless**, _painful_ revenge in the hidden outskirts of Seireitei.

It would certainly be a battle that poets would sing and narrate for many generations to come.

* * *

"Tell me why I shouldn't let Ichigo use you for target practice?"

Rukia instantly blurted out soon after finding the familiar figure draped carelessly across the full length of the couch in her office.

It was still early in the morning and despite the refreshing sparring match, her mood had darkened considerably. All because of that _stupid_ present…

Lazily removing the book that had provided the adequate blockage from the sunlight, the white-haired shinigami blinked a couple of times trying to rearrange his disoriented vision. Stifling a yawn, the young male let out a rough grunt as he stretched his cramped muscles; bringing his lean frame into full view.

…It was totally unfair that someone could still look _that_ good straight after waking up.

"Because he'd just end up missing and hitting himself instead," with half-lidded eyes and a mischievous smirk; the powerful male rolled his broad shoulders.

Repetitively telling herself internally that her eyes had **not** just skimmed across his tall frame and firm muscles, the Kuchiki heiress relentlessly countered. "Your bottomless pit of an ego astonishes me every time." With a dismissing look, the raven-haired beauty remained unmoved by his cocky comment. "I'm surprised you can still balance yourself." Growling softly, violet orbs merely observed.

With a deep chuckle, he relented in a similar fashion as the silky tone purred in amusement. Stalking forth like a true predator, he towered over her instantly; emphasising all that of stealth and command.

"How do you like the present?" Hitsugaya spoke with a leisurely grin.

"It was a presumptuous move on your part, yet **again**." Rukia growled; swatting away a hand as it began inching towards the contours of her cheek. "Besides, I might not even attend the celebration." A hasty proclamation for it escaped her lips much too quickly as her desire to best him came to override the true plausibility of her intentions. Even Ichigo – the epitome of a thick-headed male – would have known the haughty masquerade was a poor attempt at disguising her excitement for festivities. Rukia knew she shouldn't have babbled endlessly about the festival... And when teal eyes merely sent her _that_ look – the very one that made her feel like a bashful five-year-old all over again, Rukia let out a deep breath in hopes of edging away her annoyance.

"…One of these days you are going to get it, Hitsugaya Toshiro." There was a nasty warning in her voice but yet again, he chose to ignore it. "Seriously…a dragon?" With a thoughtful look, Hitsugaya seemed generally surprised by her question that was almost rhetorical in its mannerism.

Contemplating teal orbs drilled into hers as the Ice Dragon deposited himself upon the couch once again. And with an outstretched hand that silently insisted upon her proximity; all Rukia could do was bite into her lips as she found herself standing in front of his seated form without much protest. These…_exchanges_ were becoming almost second nature to her. Even with her full height, his face easily leveled her own as strong fingers curled around both her upper arms – drawling her undeniably close.

"Is there a particular reason why you find dragons inappropriate?"

"…You know very well why." Trying not to get distracted by the warm sensations of his firm grip, Rukia looked away with a slight frown.

"No, I cannot say I do." Hitsugaya whispered back gently, surprising the petite woman when his warm breath fanned lightly across her rosy cheeks. He was suddenly _very_ close. As if noticing for the first time how intimately she was positioned before him, the Kuchiki heiress stared in bewilderment. "It is a dragon – a mere image of an ice dragon." He soothed her, his eyes laughing. "It is a simple decoration; a symbol and a sign of strength and power."

Hitsugaya continued, releasing one of his hands to gently stroke her face.

It was enough to evaporate any thoughts of running away.

The white-haired male paused momentarily, as if to taste the next set of carefully chosen words in his mouth, but his gaze was both steady and intense.

"Ultimately, however, it is whatever **you** want it to be."

Rukia could practically feel the anticipation curling in the pit of her stomach, mesmerised by his mouth curling up in one corner.

"Perhaps it displeases you so, little butterfly; because it reminds you of me," his warm breath brushed over her ears, a fine tremor pulsing down her back as his other hand snaked firmly around her waist. "Does it remind you of me, just as _everything _reminds me of you?" His voice was lower, darkening with emotion.

Flushing with colour, Rukia did not trust herself to speak.

"Does it?" He murmured, his eyes lightening to a darker shade. "Does it make you think of me?"

Guarding her face gently down towards his, Hitsugaya gave his final warning. "_Rukia_." And she would have allowed him to do so, until a loud knock echoed mercilessly across the room.

"Permission to enter, Kuchiki-taichou?" Pushing away the warm body and ignoring his protesting growls, Rukia was quick to find refuge behind the wooden desk. This seemed to be another common enough occurrence. Letting out a shaky breath, the indifferent expression veiled her violet orbs with the acknowledgment of the request. At the corner of her eye, Rukia noted Hitsugaya frowning at the transition. But even before the Ice Dragon could blurt out his displeasure, a busty blonde had already made her invasion. _Goddamn it_.

"Good morning, Kuchiki-taichou! Sorry for the interruption but could you-" What had started off with a burst of energy gave way to a quick gasp. Matsumoto seemed to be in awe as her head snapped towards a familiar frown and bushy white hair.

So _this_ is where her taichou had been running off to in his spare time…

Mentally unprepared for the sight and discovery of Seireitei's infamous ice-controllers, the strawberry blonde seemed genuinely surprised. _So the rumors were true_…

Being an individual who was no stranger to idle gossip, she had been keeping taps on the conspiracy theories floating around the newest development regarding the 6th division captaincy. It was obvious many seemed at a complete loss at the unprecedented rumors revolving around the generally well-liked Kuchiki Rukia. Despite the horrendous event involving the unforgettable battle between the Kuchiki siblings, none had jumped into condemning the raven-haired female. Instead, many seemed to sympathise with the petite shinigami; determined something was amiss. And very much like the general public of Seireitei, the sharp blonde flowed along the similar trail of thought.

"What is it that you need, Matsumoto-san?" Slightly frustrated at the lack of response, the said female immediately enquired to rectify the situation involving an uncharacteristically quiet lieutenant.

And as clear blue orbs landed back upon the raven-haired superior, Matsumoto stared in wonder as she noted for the first time the inner flames radiating through violet eyes. Now, Matsumoto was not into the whole inner-psyche crap. But she was a firm believer that a person's eyes are the window to their soul. Whatever was going on regarding the Kuchiki clan, one thing was certain; the fiery shinigami was still the same kick-ass girl who had turned Seireitei up-side-down. A cat-like grin easily spread across the features of the curvaceous woman. She would tease out the truth of these rumors from her captain in time. Besides, judging by the way her stoic taichou seemed to be watching over the girl like an over-protective hawk; the strawberry blonde needed no further evidence.

…Already he was spindling territorial possessiveness.

And taking into consideration that her taichou had began his frequent spells of leaving his office straight after finishing off his paper work in record time (or even dumping the whole lot to her!); straight after the enactment of the new Kuchiki heiress, it could only mean that the acquaintance of these two ice-yielders spanned at least seven months back. Forcefully suppressing her crazy tendencies to do a victory dance at the fact that her _uptight_ boss was _finally_ showing evidence that he was neither asexual nor homosexual, Matsumoto relished in the mind-numbingly gratifying fact that the _heavily_ sought out 10th division captain was showing _interest_ in the opposite sex.

An opposite sex who was equally regarded as a fabulous catch by many.

True to his nature, it seemed nothing but the **best **would do for her captain.

"I'm so sorry for the interruption but will the 6th division be able to assist in making final announcements for the Summer Festival tonight?" Matsumoto started again, after clearing her throat.

Taking into account the fact that the sake-loving-blonde had been bellowing out threats of mass murder if people did not attend for weeks on end; the violet-eyed captain allowed a small smirk to grace her features. "I'll get Renji to post up the final notices for those who wish _to_-" and in an instant, a light-bulb seemed to go off in the unpredictable female. With a scheming side-long glance, the Kuchiki heiress effectively changed the tempo to her liking. "…Actually, there is someone who is very eager to help."

Instantly, teal orbs narrowed in a warning manner. _But knowing the little vixen_…"Hitsugaya seems **very** eager to get people to attend."

"Taichou! I didn't know you were interested in helping out!" Damnation.

"Wait, I _never_-" To be trapped between two powerful female shinigami was not something Hitsugaya planned on experiencing any time soon.

The final heave and it was the point of no return. "Why, he was just getting me to attend and I must say he is _quite_ the persuader."

"Oh, this is fabulous! Come on, taichou! You and I will be the 10th division advertising duo! People won't even know what hit 'em!" With a loud exclamation, unsuspecting of foul play, the strawberry blonde bounced out of the office in a bundle of energy.

Refraining from giggling like the human teenage females Rukia had witnessed regularly during her stay, the Kuchiki heiress was instead quite prepared to taunt the trapped male at the sheer entertainment of it all. But it was the quick jolt of her cushioned chair that had the satisfied female jerking awake from her mindless daydreaming. Two strong hands landed directly on both sides of her head – trapping her between the furniture and a chiseled male body and it was the only warning Rukia received as the last thing widened violet orbs saw was the smug looking colour of green.

And in an instant, he was kissing her – _hard_.

Catching her trembling bottom lip between his, Hitsugaya tugged them before taking full advantage of her involuntary gasp.

It was nothing like she had ever felt before. His tongue swirled around hers, insistent yet gentle in his exploration.

Nestled comfortably against silk and firm muscles; her stiffened form relaxed at his insistency and soon, both her arms slid hesitantly around his shoulders. It was enough to spark the deep desire as well as the blatant consequential reality. Letting out a torturous groan, Hitsugaya reluctantly released soft delectable lips; compensating his infinite cravings for simple caresses.

"You are in _such_ trouble, little butterfly," he whispered hotly against her lips.

Tightly clenching his hands to undermine the wisp of jasmine and the addictive need to sample her sweetness once again, the Ice Dragon forcefully dragged his aroused body away from the trembling nymph whose dainty fingers clutched against the arm rest at the sudden loss of heat.

The dazed look and flushed cheeks stroking his masculine pride.

Currently, thoughts on the main competition that came with orange hair took a back seat. His upmost important mission consisted of persuading the raven-haired female, after all. And being a tactician who enjoyed putting all his cards on the table and leaving the best for last; Hitsugaya could almost taste the inevitable crushing of his opponents and their false illusions and fruitless attempts. Murderous older brothers, hot-headed humans, and other inconsequential suitors will be mere hindrances.

And no amount of sake was going to stop him from winning his delicious prize.

His mouth curled wickedly as absolute delight coursed through his veins. Already, this complicated dance was moving onto the next phase much to Hitsugaya's delight. _Mine_.

"I'll be seeing you tonight at the festival."

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Hurry up, Ichigo. I don't want to miss the fireworks!" A hushed, yet hurried tone urged the other to quicken his pace.

Perched on a wooden bench that remained relatively undisturbed by the main attractions of the festival, the raven-haired heiress fidgeted persistently; unhappy about being held back against her own will.

Dressed in a light lavender kimono decorated in darker shades of plum, the petite female could pass for a porcelain doll. Gone was the normative blank expression of coldness, replaced by an almost carefree giddiness that the human had regularly witnessed whenever she learned of a new 'invention' in the human world. And just as she had always done, Rukia had dragged them from one stand to another in god-like speed for the entire evening; nevertheless, still managing to remain impassive amidst the curious eyes of the general public.

It had taken a string of baits to convince her to take a breather. "Hold still, you little brat." Ichigo grumbled while trying to arrange the slightly disarrayed head ornament.

Having baby sisters meant he had the unfortunate responsibility to make sure they were presentable to society in general, meaning Ichigo was forced to learn the dreaded technique of hair-braiding, hair-clipping, and anything and everything to do with the precious female commodity that grew at the top of their skulls. Lightly fingering the fan before placing it in the confines of the kimono ribbon around her back, Rukia could feel the excitement bubbling at the thought of the finale consisting of fireworks. But another firm tug and she was left in the mercy of the calloused hands of her human friend. The sight of a silver-scaled dragon momentarily caught the orange-haired teenager's eyes, but Ichigo finally chose not to comment. The sight of the raven-haired shinigami playing around with the painted image as well as the constant glances behind her back during the entire evening had been endless. With a solemn look drawn upon his face and a quick tightening of his jaw, Ichigo focused on trying to smooth out the slightly disarranged hair pins.

After escaping the nightmare involving eye-beam-shooting-Byakuya and his mountain loads of sake, Ichigo had withdrawn from this complicated battle outlined by that green-eyed-bastard. For the first time in his life, the orange-haired human didn't know where he stood with this raven-haired woman. She was undeniably special. Ichigo knew his emotions had already crossed the line of platonic relationships. But the question remained, was he prepared to risk their friendship? Was he prepared to take the risk? The sudden urgency regarding Kuchiki Rukia's affections had thrown off his entire pace whereas before, Ichigo had believed he had all the time in the world. _But now_... Now that a certain asshole had staked his claim, Ichigo was forced to take action. That good-for-nothing-son-of-a-!

"Are you done yet?" Her grumbles halted the increasingly frustrated human from his darkened thoughts.

"We've still got plenty of time for the fireworks." Ichigo stated; unsure as to whom he was trying to convince. "Now, be still so I can finish. Even _I_ know that clan heads cannot look sloppy. You don't want people figuring out this is all staged, do you?"

"…Too late," a deep gruff voice interjected.

"Renji?"

And there stood her lieutenant, still dressed in his work attire and out of breath; as if he had run all the way. Swallowing at the hint of revelation shining in her best friend's eyes, Rukia looked away in guilt.

"You've been fooling us." It wasn't a question. It was a statement; the truth. "You've played _me_ the fool – yet again."

"Fuck, Rukia; I thought we were past all this."

"When are going to learn to trust me? When are you planning to depend on your friends?" Stepping towards the pair, his reiatsu flamed like the blazing colour of his hair.

"…Renji, _I_-" But as Rukia began regretfully, the strong presence of both males were plucked away from the open area.

Violet orbs widened in horror as a flutter of orange and red zoomed across the field, her friends being dragged away by thick vines that extended from the commute of trees on the other side. "Renji! Ichigo!" Summoning Shirayuki, the Kuchiki heiress prepared to freeze the plantations into submission until a shadow intervened.

Narrow slated yellow eyes blazed under the moonlight. "…My, my; it seems like your friends are in a bit of a tangle, my lady." With a sardonic grin, spider like hands arose to command the rise of several more vines as they swirled and swallowed both victims under thick layers of green tentacles.

Their struggles were futile.

"Release them." Rukia whispered dangerously; her tone bordering on warning and contempt. But when the elder failed to heed her command, she roared out in furious indignation; just as she had done when first coming across him all those many years ago. She instantly remembers the lanky elder as the insatiable monster who had taken his fare share of female servants, forcing them into his bed. After an encounter involving a roughly handled Ami, her faithful chamber maid of many years, and a nasty frost bite around his pelvis area; he had stayed well away from the Northern wings of the Kuchiki household and Rukia had not seen him ever since.

"Do you dare to go against the orders of your mistress?"

Pushing down the spiral of fear at the sight of ice spreading uncontrollably across the green fields, the stubborn council held onto his foolish one-sided visions and beliefs. His confidence, however, arose at the initial plan concerning the two struggling individuals trapped underneath. She would not _dare_ to freeze his botanical creation as long as they remained chained to the ground. "After tonight, milady, the Kuchiki clan will be _conveniently_ missing their heiress." Hissing out like a venomous snake, the remaining plantation slid up to both of his outstretched hands; forming thick whips around the entire length of his arms. "I do apologise beforehand."

"…But your presence has been tolerated for long enough. And now, it is time for you to say goodbye, my dear." With a quick wave, powerful vines pounded into the ground where the petite female had stood not a moment past.

Slashing off the extended arms with calculating ease; her lithe form landed gracefully. "Have the elders been so thoroughly corrupted to the point of opting for cowardice?"

"Our way has existed for thousands of years, upheld by generations of tradition and honour. We will not sit back and watch you destroy the sanctity of our code, _little girl_."

The chopped off area regenerated without much difficulty. But the strain was evident in his aged features. _This_ was his final retaliation, his last deed as an elder. Just as this was her responsibility as Nii-sama's adopted sister-in-law and as Hisana-onee-chan's younger sibling. "Do not worry. Your sister will be disposed of soon after your demise." As if reading her thoughts, those cat-like eyes glinted.

Rukia could feel the muscles on the side of her eye twitch in response. This is why she fought. This is what she constantly battled for. She would not allow the guilt to overwhelm her. The elders have brought this upon themselves.

"You did not think we wouldn't figure it out eventually, did you?" Noting the flinch, he screamed out; laughing out uncontrollably as he prepared to attack once again.

But a swift sound of robes fluttering against the wind was the only indication as yellow orbs widened at the feel of a cool blade positioned directly against his spine from behind.

"Of course not," the deep velvety voice replied. Forestry green orbs darkened in a menacing manner.

Hitsugaya was absolutely _pissed_.

"We just didn't think you'd be stupid enough to go through with it."

And with those final words, the last thing widened violet orbs saw was the quick slashing of the powerful weapon.


	6. Elongated Vines

**Chapter 6: Elongated Vines**

"Human icicle!"

"Carrot head."

"Chicken shit!"

"Pussy."

"Freak!"

"Imbecile."

With a ferocious battle cry, not to mention the never-ending string of insults being thrown back and forth, the clinging sound of blades echoed across the isolated fields.

But if Rukia was to be the judge, she knew it would no longer remain hidden nor secluded from the rest of Seireitei at the rate they were going.

Rather than a battle commencing between elongated vines and unforgiving ice; it had somehow ended up being a tug-of-war between a certain human teenager and the Ice Dragon of Seireitei. _How old were they, five? _Cursing under her breath at another ruined Summer Festival (previously due to insignificant little things like: [1] being stuck in the human world and; [2] the war) thanks to those good-for-nothing-idiots, the raven-haired heiress bit her lips in the hopes that the pain would result in the sudden rise of a brilliant plan of some sort.

But alas, all she obtained in return was the faint metallic taste of her own blood and another powerful headache to boot.

If it had been under different circumstances, the entertainment would have been very much appreciated.

Hell, watching them beat the stuffing out of each other would have been once considered as a much loved national sport.

At the corner of her eye, the violet-eyed shinigami noted a rather confused looking Renji staring mutely at the two; probably contemplating whether to join them or sit this one out.

This had to be the shittiest evening of the century.

As they continued throwing fowl mouthed insults at each other, the earth-shattering power of the two stubborn-headed males left absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination.

The once grass-clad fields were demolished while the wooden bench that she and Ichigo had previously occupied seemed to have been uprooted from its position entirely; half-frozen and dangling helplessly in one of the trees at least a good couple of miles away.

_How the __**hell**__ was she going to explain __**that**__?_

And she was going to have to come up with a spotless explanation very soon, as she noted the fast approaching reiatsu of several division captains.

...At least others were also going to miss out on the Summer Festival; the sadistic side of her fowl mood cheered at the back of her mind.

Nevertheless, completely out of ideas; slightly bemused violet orbs could do nothing else but watch the battle unfold.

When had it all gone wrong?

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"_You did not think we wouldn't figure it out eventually, did you?" Noting the flinch, he screamed out; laughing out uncontrollably as he prepared to attack once again._

_But a swift sound of robes fluttering against the wind was the only indication as yellow orbs widened at the feel of a cool blade positioned directly against his spine from behind._

"_Of course not," the deep velvety voice replied. Forestry green orbs darkened in a menacing manner._

_It was all too obvious that Hitsugaya was absolutely __**pissed**__._

"_We just didn't think you'd be stupid enough to go through with it."_

_And with those final words, the last thing widened violet orbs saw was the quick slashing of the powerful weapon._

_But just as the deadly blade was about to make the final blow that would put an end to the power-driven elder, an unnatural silence consumed the entire area in creeping stillness – even the warm evening breeze coming to a complete halt. It was purely due to his innate senses and years of experience that allowed Hitsugaya to instinctively evade the explosion that followed after a millisecond of the arrest in time. The flying debris was the least of his worries and sharp teal eyes narrowed slightly as the dusts began to settle._

_Growling at the cause of the interruption, the powerful Ice Dragon glared at the ground that literally shook under the blistering light from mid-air; the extended ice wings of his bankai form allowing the gravitational leverage._

_At the corner of his eye, he noted Rukia slicing a powerful wave towards the stationary elder, sending him flying out of harms way only to be frozen to the nearest tree._

_Smirking at the display of quick-thinking by his girl, Hitsugaya would have gladly observed the way the clean side swipe stretched the fabric of her kimono amplifying the soft curves of her body as well as the way the pure shade of the fluttering ribbon attached to Shirayuki contrasted brilliantly with her raven locks._

_Indeed, it was a sight to behold._

_But first, he needed to take care of more immediate matters…_

_The blistering energy had incinerated the confining vines into oblivion, a substantive crater forming a radius around the blazing individual as familiar brown eyes penetrated the enemy in blinding fury. Except the enemy was no longer the maddened elder, but a certain Ice Dragon. The gigantic Zanpakuto was strategically placed, lightly leaning against his shoulder as the raw power of his reiatsu threw energy waves all over the area._

"_Sleeping beauty is finally awake I see."_

_Landing a couple of feet away from the fuming human, Hitsugaya gracefully pulled his body to full height as he regarded the other in easing dominance as he tapped into his own reiatsu reserve with an almost wolfish grin upon his face. _

_Elevating Hyorinmaru, the ice-yielder warned in response to the blatant challenge in calculating precision. "Stand down, Kurosaki. I can handle this." As expected, however, the teenager took no heed to the well-meant suggestion as his already blazing reiatsu intensified all the while readying his weapon in retaliation. _

_Kurosaki Ichigo had finally decided._

_Weeks of uncertainty and torment were no more._

_There was simply no use trying to understand with his head._

"…_Who gave __**you **__the fucking right to have all the fun?" Ichigo snarled out, his features twisting to accommodate his uncontrollable fury._

_Possessive older brothers, he didn't have a problem with; considering he was also one of such species. Rivals he could equally handle, just as he had done in high school fending off male teenagers from the raven-haired shinigami. However, __**competition **__was a complete different matter considering he never had the experience of signing himself up to the fate of pursuing a specific female for the purpose of gaining her heart, per se. After all, no one had triggered such uncontrollable fear that he would loose the one person who had always been there – through thick and thin. Even when Byakuya had snatched her away from his grasps that fateful day nor that of the said female's initial decision to stay in Seireitei; it had never deterred Ichigo from believing that he would find a way to get her back by his side, one way of another._

_And even when the Great War had come to a close and Rukia had faithfully taken upon her responsibilities as a shinigami once again, Ichigo had not been worried; not at the very least. Considering the destructive mode of his life so far, the orange-haired male was most certain something would come up yet again in the form of another major disturbance or psychotic evil-doers that would bring their old comrades back together in another wild adventure._

_It was just the way things had to be; how it would have continued to be. However, and this was the __**big **__however, Ichigo had failed to calculate the insertion of this...__**asshole**__ into his overall picture._

_And who could blame him? Considering the formerly vertically challenged captain had never indicated any potential threat or danger to Ichigo's orderly world._

_He had unusual white hair, he was short, had a busty lieutenant and a nasty temper._

_Hitsugaya still had the unusual hair shade, still had the sake-loving lieutenant by his side but no longer was he the grumpy yet harmless looking child. Instead, the incomprehensible male stood before him as a man. And it drove Ichigo up the wall._

"_I invited myself, naturally." The said 'asshole' continued; teal orbs glinting dangerously like a predator as his mouth curled to a sharp calculating smirk. _"…_It couldn't be helped considering you and Renji were sprawled __**uselessly**__ on the ground. Like I said, I protect what's mine." With a lingering pause, the young prodigy mocked his opponent in practised ease. _"_Even more so, since it appears that her 'bodyguards' can't even protect themselves." _

_Correction: a fucking asshole who had demolished his norm in less than it took Rukia to draw one of her disfigured 'chappies.'_

_Claiming Rukia as being 'his,' once, was forgivible; hell, Ichigo could have easily marked it off as a spur-of-the-moment type of occurrence. Stating she was his in front of her protective older brother was equally dismissible, ticking it off as an effective way of ruffling the feathers of a particularly stuck-up clan leader or in other words, momentary insanity._

_But suggesting for the __**third**__ time that Rukia was __**his**__ and that Ichigo was __**incapable**__ of protecting her was beyond justification._

_In blind fury, the human substitute let out an almost animalistic roar as his hands clenched painfully around the hilt of his sword. Screw the light-headedness, screw the sudden fluctuations of his pulse, and screw the endless bundles of confused emotions whenever she was near._

"_You know what? Fuck you; you fucking asshole!" Screw the tightening in his chest whenever that asshole made a move right. under. his. nose._

_Constantly trying to make sense of these feelings was proving to be ineffective and completely useless._

_He was definitely __**not**__ the thinking type. Something he should have figured out by now._

_And being tied down by freaking plants had been the last straw. _

_All that mattered was that Ichigo was not going to give up Rukia without a fight. He did not need to understand why; he simply needed her by his side._

_That was all there was to it._

"_I've just about had enough of your attitude." Feeling truly awake for the first time in __**weeks**__, Ichigo continued with what he did best - fight for what he believed in with no regrets. _"_I'm not gonna let you win this!"_

_Arching an eyebrow at the sudden change in demeanor, Hitsugaya silently eyed the hot-headed teenager critically. _

_It seemed he had finally gotten his answer. _

_No indeed, the confused babblings and frustration were no more. _

_The human substitute had finally decided and by the looks of the unmoving stance of the orange-haired male, the decision was final. Not as foolish as he had previously thought... Nevertheless, it was too little, too late. Hitsugaya would make sure of it._

"_Oh, I already have."_

_And there was no need for further exchange words as they both let out a ferocious battle cry and charged head on._

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

...Until two identical ice blocks knocked them squarely on the back of their heads.

"Shut up, shut up; _shut up_!" Rukia screamed out as she continually threw ice blocks after ice blocks.

She knew the first hit would be the very last for the both of them. But _hell_...if at least one of the ice blocks hit them squarely in their 'manly' parts, Rukia would deem it as a success.

"I am _sick_ and **tired** of the both of you and your freaking male ego contest!"

Caught completely off guard, both males didn't have time to react to such an 'undignified' interruption except to feverishly hide from the oncoming ice comets.

With the initial shock quickly wearing off, Hitsugaya expertly blocked the more familiar element whereas Ichigo was busy displaying interesting dance steps all the while cursing at his female friend as another deadly icicle almost sliced _too_ close to where it would have really, _really_ hurt.

"I don't know what the heck your problems are; but stop acting like immature. little. babies!"

Her calm composure gave way to unrestrained anger; her cheeks reddening under the pressure while the tone of her voice took upon a harsher timbre that usually made men twice her size feel like air-headed brutes.

"Or God so help me, I _will _ram both your heads up where the sun don't shine!" Completely out of breath, the Kuchiki huffed and puffed and was more than ready to blow down the house.

And she would have gladly done so; that was until she was face-to-face with the newly arrived reinforcement.

In many ways, it was the additional presence of others that restrained and _saved_ both males from their ultimate doom.

"May I ask, what is exactly going on here?" The authoratative voice boomed across the field.

Rukia had no idea whether to cry out in relief or frustration.

"Good evening, Yamamoto-genryusai." The Kuchiki heiress managed to grit out in response.

Repetitively informing her brain that committing mass murder would _not_ be beneficial in terms of following through with the plan at hand, Rukia purposely took deep breaths as her mask of indifference forcefully slid back into place. The only indication of her outburst were brightened violet eyes and the slight disturbance in her energy waves. Internally, however, it was a complete different matter as the raven-haired captain feverishly tried to come up with an amiable explanation.

But even before she could utter out a single word of defence, someone had unexpectedly beaten her to it.

"Abarai Renji, lieutenant of the 6th division, sir. Permission to speak on behalf of my captain?"

The red-haired shinigami drew forward; out-stretched almost protectively in front his petite division leader. Violet orbs could not help but widen in surprise and wonder.

"Proceed."

"Kuchiki-taichou was ambushed and attacked by a Kuchiki elder, sir." The deep gruff voice bluntly revealed.

Audible gasps of horror emerged around the demolished field.

"Fortunately, Hitsugaya-taichou, Ichigo and myself were in close vicinity at the time. We were able to assist in putting a stop to his act of treason." Renji continued, ignoring the penetrating gaze of the observant General.

"…By freezing him to a tree?" In a slightly humorous tone, the said leader pointed out the all too obvious.

"It was a necessary precaution, Yamamoto-genryusai, considering the delicacy of the situation." Rukia replied nonchalantly from the side as she sheathed Shirayuki in a semi-forceful manner. "The Kuchiki clan cannot afford to loose another head of the household in such times. Wouldn't you agree, sir?"

Just barely refraining from egging them on for more _entertainment_; the General conceded by taking on a more serious composure.

"Ah, yes of course."

With a quick wave of his walking stick, the lower-ranking shinigami sped off to retrieve the encaged prisoner. "Bring him to me." However, both the Genenral and the Kuchiki heiress knew there was no need.

The ice formed around the unmoving body of the elder appeared to have been angled in such a way that would have blocked the breathing passage of the encaged prisoner. The seasoned leader could tell from the positioning of the incarcerated body that a couple of ribs would have cracked under the pressure, possibly puncturing the lungs in the process.

The traitor would have died slowly and painfully, choking on his own pool of blood.

And when Rukia released the unforgiving element, not even bothering to flinch when the lifeless corpse collapsed with an echoing thud; the entire ribcage was most definitely disfigured in its placement.

"…Sir, he's dead." One of the informants announced in hesitation.

"I might have applied _slightly _more force than necessary. I sincerely apologise for my miscalculations, Yamamoto-genryusai." Violet orbs glinted dangerously as they bore into their leader in a knowing manner.

"No need, Kuchiki-taichou. All that matters is that you are safe. Would you like me to send someone to the household to inform the clan of such an..._unfortunate_ event?"

Gently pressing down upon the invisible lines of her elaborate kimono, unreadable violet orbs looked on impassively. Her very presence the epitome of grace and regalness.

"There is no need, sir. I have already dismissed the household staff for the entire evening to enjoy the festival. I am unharmed and do not require any assistance. I shall hold a clan meeting first thing tomorrow morning and relay the **unfortunate** message then."

With an almost wistful smile, the raven-haired beauty replied. The thought of having to deal with the complicated internal matters of the Kuchiki household made her exceedingly weary. Already exhausted from this endless saga, all Rukia wished for was that light at the end of the tunnel. And yet, reality was never so accomodating. Especially now, with the elders finally catching on to reveal the intricate plot of deception and betrayal. This certainly..._complicated_ matters. It meant the remaining six rounds would have to be taken from a slightly different approach. Eying the destroyed pieces of vines scattered across the vicinity, Rukia fought down the feeling of dread shivering down her spine in warning.

...It certainly complicated matters now that the remaining elders were aware of what they were facing. Already they were testing the waters in order to gain footing in this death race. And what was perhaps most disheartening was the fact that Rukia had not planned to cross swords with the plant-yielder until the later stages of battle. Violet orbs narrowed in displeasure. If tonight's wildcard was an indication, it meant she would have to fight tooth and nail to win the unpredictable war.

Forcefully biting down upon her lip to steel her resolve, the raven-haired Heiress succeeded in appearing largely unaffected. She would not regret this: It would **never** be that of regret.

But with the deliberate brush of fabric and the flaring of three distinct reiatsu, Rukia received all the confirmation she would ever need. She didn't have to be told twice.

And as much as it hurt to admit, the trembling finally came to a halt as she took comfort in the familiar presence of the three idiots. _She was not alone_.

"Then I leave you in the capable hands of your lieutenant, Kurosaki and Hitsugaya-taichou." Regarding steady violet orbs with a look of approval, their wise old leader finally concluded.

Gesturing towards the mismatched group, the eventful evening finally came to an end.

"I shall publicly announce the unfortunate treason and demise of the Kuchiki elder, Sanada Kouga - the plant yielder - first thing tomorrow. I make it clear right now that due to his unforgivable act of raising his weapon against his very own mistress, he will not be presented with the honour of a traditional burial."

"Instead, his head will be displayed as a warning whereas his body will be dumped to rot and be ripped apart by scavengers."

It would be an end most fit for a traitor.

"...Now, shall we get back to the festivities?"

* * *

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Rukia began; visibly uncertain and hesitant in her mannerism. The sole female, yet again, entirely oblivious to the endearing picture she was presenting with her habit of biting anxiously into red supple lips.

The entire evening had been absolutely chaotic. And after the large group had dispersed, the corpse of the traitor dragged off by low-ranking shinigami, the remaining individuals unanimously agreed on ditching the Summer Festival altogether.

She had promptly ignored the tension brewing between a certain pair of thick-headed males.

They could murder each other for all she cared. Rukia valued her sanity.

It was only when the familiar infrastructure of the Kuchiki household came into view, was the silence interrupted. And when her lieutenant calmly nodded, the raven-haired heiress let out a breath she hadn't known she was instinctively holding. It cleared a substantive amount of guilt that had flagged her down during the past few months. Deceiving her friends seemed to be a reoccurring theme of her life these past few years. It was almost disheartening. _Almost_.

"And…thanks, for today I mean." With a firm hold on his arm, Rukia smiled in gratitude; that was until the exact same arm twisted and the powerful fist connected directly with the top of her skull.

Sharp features stayed entirely neutral even as a thoroughly surprised Rukia yelped at the unexpected and stinging sensation.

It was only when angry violet orbs blazed up at the sheer injustice of it all that the red head finally felt his skewed world click back into place.

"You're very welcome, Rukia." Ruffling her hair in a familiar manner, Renji relished in the fact that he was _finally_ able to breathe easy. "Anything for my captain." Grinning as he began his journey back to his quarters with a quick salute, Rukia's childhood friend did not disappoint. "...You can brew your own fucking tea from now on though!" Not the very least startled at his usual brash comments, the violet-eyed shinigami could not help but welcome their familiar bantering sessions.

It was good to have the red-headed freak back in her life.

"Rukia!" The insistent urgency was evident in Tama's voice as the elder charged towards the remaining group, just narrowly missing Renji's departure. His twin braids fluttered against the oncoming wind as the out-of-breath elder inspected his mistress. "Are you alright? I came as soon as your informants relayed the news. Are you hurt? You're not injured are you?" Tightly holding onto her delicate shoulders, he looked like a man prepared for the worst. Visibly upset with himself for not being there in her time of need.

"Calm down, old man. She's fine. You'll give yourself a heart-attack at this rate." Ichigo replied casually. As if nothing out of the ordinary had happened: like being trapped by elongated vines, or a battle commencing between two individuals who were _supposed _to be on the same side. Minor details. Calmly shrugging his shoulders at such thoughts, the orange-haired male grinned in his usual easy-going manner. Throwing an arm around the Butterfly, the protector skirted over the issue with alarming ease. "Wouldn't want that to happen since you owe me a rematch."

"And get your ass electrocuted like last night?" Huffing at her much-taller friend who was currently using her like a arm-rest; Rukia snapped in irritation.

"Hey! I would have totally won if you hadn't interrupted our match!"

"I was under the impression that I **saved **you. What do you say, Tama?"

Finally accepting the fact that his mistress was indeed unharmed, the relaxed elder replied; clearly amused. "I do apologise Ichigo, but I am sworn to stay loyal to my mistress."

"Traitor!" Ichigo yelled out in indignation.

But it was the deep taunting voice that controlled the conversation in a heart beat; capturing the attention of the entire group for various different reasons.

"Hmph, I wouldn't be surprised if it was anything like today's match." Hitsugaya smirked, teal orbs discarding the fuming human but instead landing on Tama, clearly absorbing the new face in order to determine his position in the Kuchiki heiress' life. Detecting no immediate threat from the newest addition, the ice-yielder finally allowed his shoulders to fold. And yet, the possessiveness never once deterred, the message loud and clear: _She's mine_. Taking a step closer to the currently encaged Butterly, Hitsugaya easily dominated the entire flow of the atmosphere - staking his interest with that single gesture.

And the astonished elder recognised immediately. _The Dragon_...

"What's that supposed to mean, bastard?" Ichigo snarled as he tightened his hold, ready to strike at any given moment.

"You'll make your visit tomorrow?" Expertly ignoring the fuming human, Hitsugaya leaned that inch closer; somehow making the gesture so much more intimate, so much more personal than any direct contact. Tama was both astonished and captivated by this mysterious male eyeing his mistress with such purpose and determination. He had the nastiest feeling Byakuya would not be able to dispose of this one no matter how hard he tried. And he had no idea why but he felt himself **relieved **at the fact that Rukia would be stuck for life with this overprotective Ice Dragon. Somehow, this temperamental male might just be what she needed.

On a completely _different _train of thought from her long-time mentor, Rukia gave a curt nod at the question - most anxious to keep the peace a little longer. If the rigid arm around her shoulders was any indication, any form of provocation would most definitely result upon another battle in front of her very own estate! Best keep quiet at this point in time.

"Good. I'll see you at our usual meeting place. Get some rest, Rukia." The final request was presented with such boyish mischief that no one expected the next sequence of action. With careful precision and agility, Hitsugaya was instantly before the blushing Kuchiki heiress, placing a firm kiss on top of her delicate hand. "...Have I mentioned that you look exceptionally beautiful today?" Purring out his delight with a wicked grin, teal orbs took in her petite yet pleasing figure draped in all that elaborate fabric and accessories. Never once sparing a glance to the others - the thought of removing his eyes away from the stunning female being the _last _thing on his sharp mind - Hitsugaya allowed his lean fingers to slide away in meticulous precision; creating that delicious friction with significantly softer hands. "I am _extremely_ pleased that the fan suits your outfit."

With another heated look, the Ice Dragon separated himself from the herd as swiftly as he had advanced. A true predator by nature.

"Get the hell outta here, asshole." Ichigo forcefully tugging Rukia towards the main entrance; _itching _to swipe that smirk off his opponent's face.

Hating himself for not intercepting and hating **him **for being so _quick_, the orange-haired substitute opted for physically distancing his best friend from that Mother-of-all-Jerks.

"Jealous, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo sincerely wished the bastard ended up walking into a tree on his way home.

"I'm going as well so you better think twice about stopping me tomorrow!"

"The thought never crossed my mind." Never once sparing a glance, Hitsugaya countered smoothly as he disappeared into the night.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"...Is that wise, Byakuya?"

"It is the only way."

"Maybe, or maybe not."

"We have no choice."

"...."

"I shall send word once the final preparations are completed. Look after her, Tama, until then."

And the private conversation came to an end as the uncharacteristically silent elder and a brooding Kuchiki heir approached the merry group. Rukia was giggling as her very pregnant sister tried - but failed miserably - to hug her sister due to the large bump around her abdomen. As Ichigo and Hitsugaya looked on at the charming display, the final goodbyes were exchanged and promises for the next visit already scheduled.

But as the four shinigami made their way towards the outskirts of the forbidden forest, Ichigo loudly cursed under his breath.

"Shoot! Almost forgot..." Turning swiftly towards the couple still standing at a distance, he yelled out.

"Yo! Byakuya! Hisana-san! Both of you don't have to worry anymore cause I'm gonna protect Rukia from the icicle-freak over here! I'll make sure he keeps his hands to himself!"

"Oh dear." Hisana whispered under her breath as a ward of sakura petals began swarming towards the group - most specifically towards the blur of orange and white.

The pregnant woman sighed at the fact that once again, she would need to find an useful outlet for her _furious_ husband.

And this time, chopping up firewood just wouldn't be enough.


End file.
